Vernell & Casselton

This matter concerned parenting orders between Mr Vernell (the applicant father) and Ms Casselton (the respondent mother) concerning their three children, X, Y, and Z. The dispute arose in the context of a recently released Family Assessment Report, which contained conflicting information from the parents regarding their relationship and the father's contact with the children. The Family Report writer recommended continued involvement of the Department for Child Protection.

The court was required to determine the interim parenting arrangements for the children, considering the findings of the Family Assessment Report and the stated intention of the parties and the Independent Children’s Lawyer to explore unsupervised time for the father if subsequent contact centre reports were positive. The court also needed to address the ongoing therapeutic and reporting requirements for both parents.

Brown J ordered that all previous parenting orders be discharged. The children were to live with the mother, who would have sole parental responsibility. The father was to have supervised time with the children at a contact centre, with the possibility of additional agreed-upon time subject to the Independent Children’s Lawyer’s approval. Both parents were ordered to register with the contact centre and comply with its directions. The father was to obtain and file a report from the contact centre after his third visit. Both parents were also directed to continue their respective therapeutic engagements to address parenting deficits and issues impacting their parenting capacity, including family violence. The court also made orders regarding communication between parents, access to school information, and injunctions restraining various behaviours in the presence of the children and concerning the proceedings. Further consideration of the matter was adjourned.