FAQs and Fees

A Mediator is an impartial person who assists people to resolve disputes.

An FDRP:

• assists separated parents to make workable Parenting Plans by focusing on the best interests of the child.
• can issue Section 60i Certificates where Parties require the Court’s assistance to make Parenting Orders.
• is a Mediator who has undertaken intensive specialized training in management of high conflict personalities, in screening and assessing families for domestic and family violence, and child abuse.

A Child Consultant:

• is a highly trained professional who interviews the children of separated parents to find out what it is like to be them.
• assesses the child’s current burdens, coping mechanisms, developmental impacts of ongoing parental conflict etc.
• brings the child’s voice into the Child-informed/ Child-inclusive FDR session.
• presents the information from and about the child to the parents in a respectful and kind manner.
• works with the FDRP to assist the parents to focus on the best interests of the child.

A Parenting Coordinator:

• is a highly trained professional who assists separated parents to implement Parenting Plans/ Consent Orders/ Parenting Orders.

Phone or email Dr Henry Netscher for a FREE initial consultation on

0499 649 803 or admin@optinmediation.com.au

To start you will need to provide:

•  your name and contact details (including mobile phone number, address, email address);
• information about the dispute/ service you’re interested in; and,
• the other party’s name and contact details (as above including address if known).

The next step is to participate in an Intake Interview.

Following your Intake Interview, Dr Henry Netscher will invite the other Party to participate in an Intake Interview.

Based on the information provided at the Intake Interviews Dr Henry Netscher will make an assessment about whether or not your matter is suitable for Mediation/ Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) etc.

If your matter is suitable a session will be scheduled.

The Mediation/ FDR session may be a half day or full day, or more complex matters may require 2 days.

Parenting Coordination is generally scheduled once per month for 1 hour per parent.

Child Consultant sessions: Generally last for 1 hour per child. In some matters a second session may be required.

The Intake Interview is the first step in the Mediation/ FDR process.

Once the first Party has completed their interview, the Mediator/ FDRP will invite the other Party to participate in an Intake Interview.

• The interview will take approximately 1 hour
• The Mediator/ FDR will guide the interview, asking key questions about the dispute, the type of relationship, communication styles etc
• Payment of the prescribed fee is required prior to scheduling the Intake Interview.
• Based on the information you provide about the dispute, the Mediator/ FDRP will make an Assessment as to whether or not Mediation/ FDR is appropriate.

If assessed as appropriate the matter can continue to Mediation /FDR. The Mediation / FDR session will be scheduled.

If assessed as not appropriate, the matter cannot continue to Mediation / FDR. For Parenting Matters, the FDRP will issue a s60i Certificate stating that FDR is not appropriate. The Parties can present this Certificate when applying to the Court for Parenting Orders. The FDRP’s decision is final and not open to negotiation.

• This Certificate relates to Parenting Matters only.
• The Certificate is required if you wish to apply to the Court to decide your Parenting Matters.
• An FDRP is registered to issue a s60i Certificate indicating whether or not a party has made a genuine attempt to resolve the dispute.
• The Certificate is valid for 12 months only.
• Once the fee for the Intake Interview has been paid, there are no additional fees associated with issuing the s 60i Certificate.

Each dispute is unique in terms of the parties involved and the complexity.

The Mediator / FDR will schedule the first session based on the information provided in the Intake Interviews.

Some disputes resolve in the first session, others require subsequent sessions.

Mediation sessions may take half day, full day or 2 days depending on the complexity of the matter.

Fees:

INTAKE Interview fees per Party:

• • $396 ($360 + $36)

MEDIATION/ FDR Session Fees:

• Half Day (under 4hrs) per Party:
• • • $792 ($720 + $72 gst)
• Full Day (over 4hrs) per Party:
• • • $1584 ($1440 + $144 gst)

COACHING Fees: Mediation, Conflict Management and Dispute Resolution:

• • $396 ($360 + $36) per hour or part thereof

PARENTING COORDINATION Fees: 

• • $396 ($360 + $36) per hour or part thereof

CHILD CONSULTANT Fees: 

• • $396 ($360 + $36) per hour or part thereof

The Mediator / FDRP will issue an invitation to the other party.

Participation is voluntary.

For Parenting Matters, the FDRP will issue a s 60i Certificate stating that the party has refused to attend FDR.

This Certificate is required for the matter to progress to Court.

The Court may order the other Party to attend FDR, and/or may make a costs order against the Party who refused to participate or did not make a genuine attempt to resolve the dispute.

As this is a confidential session, there are strict rules about who can attend.

Support persons:

• You may bring a support person only with approval of all parties. The support person must agree to follow specific rules, and may not take an active part in the Mediation /FDR session.
• Children are not permitted in the session.
• Whilst in some instances Lawyers attend Mediation / FDR, the usual practice is for parties to attend mediation unassisted.

Opt-In Mediation services are provided online or in-person.

For Online services – All you need is:

• a quiet space,
• a reliable and secure internet connection,
• a computer or smart phone with video and audio capabilities.

For In-person services – The following options apply:

• at our office located at Level 1 Silverton Place 101 Wickham Terrace Spring Hill Brisbane Qld 4000 (no Room-hire fees)
• at an appropriate site at your workplace, institution, organization (generally, no Room-hire fees)
• at a Mediation Centre near you (Room-hire fees apply)

Child-Inclusive Mediation (CIM) and Child-Informed Mediation (CIM) are slightly different names for the same process.

CIM:

• is a special type of Family Dispute Resolution (FDR)
• The FDRP will assess whether or not the matter is suitable for the CIM process.
• If suitable the FDRP will engage a Child Consultant
• The Child Consultant will interview both parents to further assess whether the matter is suitable for CIM.
• If the Child Consultant determines that the matter is suitable for CIM, and both parents have consented to the CIM process, the Child Consultant will interview the children.
• The children are never asked to make decisions or to choose between their parents.
• The Child Consultant brings the child’s voice into the subsequent FDR session. This session is run by the FDRP. Generally, the children do not attend these sessions,
• With the assistance of the FDRP and the Child Consultant, the parents work at making Parenting Plans that fit the children’s needs.