Family Relationship Services consists of four family law programs and one financial counselling program.
Our Federally funded family law programs are:
- Family Relationship Centre
- Children’s Contact Service
- Parenting Orders Program
- Post Separation Counselling
The aim of these programs is to assist parents who are separated or separating to reduce conflict and improve family functioning in the best interests of children by providing safe alternatives to the formal legal processes. Parents may access our family law programs voluntarily or be ordered by the court to use our programs.
Many of the practitioners in our FRS programs can offer Child Inclusive Practice (CIP). This offers an opportunity for children to talk with a CIP practitioner and for parents to “hear” the voice of the child. The practitioner decides if CIP is suitable, after speaking to each parent. The process involves the practitioner meeting and speaking with the child separately, the child and practitioner then decide what is to be fed back to the parents. Then, in a separate interview, the practitioner provides feedback to the parents.
Our Financial Counselling and Financial Capability Programs are funded by Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV) and the Department of Social Services (DSS). Our programs are to support people experiencing financial difficulty, targeting financially disadvantaged and vulnerable people through the provision of information and referral, casework and related services. Appointments are available within Victoria and New South Wales, and can be completed face to face or over the phone as needed.
Family Relationship Centre
The Albury Wodonga Family Relationship Centre provides family dispute resolution (FDR), also known as mediation, to assist parents reach agreements about children’s matters and in some instances, property matters.
We also provide information and referral to parents and family members who are affected by family separation.
Financial Counselling & Financial Capability
Financial Counselling is a free service to people on low incomes or those who are experiencing financial stress.
The Financial Capability Program assists people to learn about money, being able to set up realistic and manageable budgets, including billing arrangements and working towards savings goals.
Parenting Orders Program
The Albury Wodonga Parenting Orders Program (POP) assists separated parents who are experiencing high conflict by enhancing communication and conflict management skills and re-focussing on the best interests of their children. We also help parents make their court orders work in practice.
Post Separation Counselling – Regional Family Dispute Resolution
Post separation counselling helps people deal with issues relating to the separation which may be causing stress or conflict and prevent moving forward. These issues may be about how you are coping and adjusting, your relationship with the other parent, your children and how they are coping, new partners or other family members.
Children’s Contact Service
The Albury Wodonga Children’s Contact Service provides a safe, neutral and child friendly environment for changeovers and supervised contact visits. Our Centre offers a fully equipped indoor playroom and outdoor play area and separate entrances/exits for each parent.
Changing Homes webinar
Our Changing Homes, Strong Foundations webinar is a child focused information session aimed at assisting people to improve their communication and co-parenting relationships. It provides information to assist in reducing conflict in order to develop parenting arrangements in the best interests of children.
