Child & Family Consult Servicing Gympie & Beyond
Apricity provides child and family consulting in Gympie and beyond, specialising in writing family reports, social assessments, and facilitating child-inclusive mediation for parenting arrangements
Child & Family Consultancy
Family Report Writing Services
A Family Report is an independent family assessment that assists you and the Court in making decisions about the children. Family Reports are typically ordered when a case is approaching a final hearing. In preparing the report, the family consultant considers the children’s experiences and development, the family circumstances and other issues relevant to the case. The family consultant makes recommendations for arrangements that will best meet the children’s future care, welfare and developmental needs.
The two main types of reports prepared by family consultants are ‘Child Impact Reports’ which are generally ordered early in proceedings, and ‘Family Reports’, which are generally ordered for matters in the final hearing stage of proceedings.
Our clinicians are based in Gympie, but can travel throughout Queensland and Interstate to conduct Family Reports.
Independent Social Assessment Reports
An independent social assessment report is an expert document provided to the Queensland Children’s Court. It analyses a child’s history, needs, and living situation to assist the court in making decisions on child protection orders. It provides recommendations regarding the child’s best interests, incorporating their views and wishes, and is often requested by a separate representative lawyer.
Child-Inclusive Mediation For Parenting Arrangements
Child-inclusive mediation is a voluntary, evidence-based approach in family dispute resolution. In this process, a child & family consultant meets with the child(ren) to gather their views, wishes, experiences, and feelings. This practice supports parents in making informed, child-centred decisions about their child(ren)’s care arrangements.
Apricity Therapy and Consultancy Services believes in the value and importance of children having a voice throughout the mediation process and treats it accordingly.
Apricity can undertake family reports, social assessments, and child-inclusive mediation, whether privately funded or Legal Aid funded. Please request your legal representative contact us or personally reach out, and we will provide you with a full price and services guide, which includes a quote based on your individual circumstances.
View Family Consultancy Fees
Privately funded Family Report: $5800 + GST
This fee includes the Child & Family Consultant conducting interviews and observations for 2x parties and their current partners (if applicable), and up to 3 children.
For further information on services that may incur an additional fee, please contact us, and we will provide this information.
Legal Aid funded Family Report: Please refer to your legal representative for information pertaining to costs.
Privately funded Independent Social Assessment Reports: $5800 + GST
For further information on services that may incur an additional fee, please contact us, and we will provide this information.
Legal Aid funded Independent Social Assessment Report: Please refer to your legal representative for information pertaining to costs.
Child-Inclusive Mediation:
Half-day child-inclusive mediation $2000 + GST
Full-day child-inclusive mediation $3000 + GST
Child-inclusive mediation includes the following:
- Interviews with each child individually, and if the child is under the age of 5 or is unable to be interviewed for any other reason, then observations of the child(ren) and each parent, will occur.
- Interviews with each parent individually for up to 2 hours.
- Once all parties, including the children, have been interviewed and/or observed, another parent session will take place to provide feedback regarding the child(ren) interviews.
- All the above takes place prior to the main mediation event.
- The child & family consultant will be present on the day of mediation.
- The child & family consultant may travel for interviews, observations, and attending mediation. This will be discussed in advance to ensure transparency and to make sure all parties are aware of any costs upfront.