Where to turn and who can help when you're on the path to separation
MORE GALLERIES
Most people have heard horror stories about divorce and would like to avoid such experiences themselves.
The good news is that there are ways of managing separation that will help your family transition from a one-household family to a two-household family without destroying the functionality of your family relationships and your family savings.
You will have to continue to work together on the resolution of all of the issues arising out of the breakdown of your relationship, and if you have children, you will have to continue to work together and co-exist as parents of shared children for years to come (including attending birthday parties, graduations, weddings, and so forth).
It can be helpful to consider how you'd like to see your relationship years down the road.
Don't do anything now in the heat of the moment that will create tension and unpleasantness for years to come is the advice from www.ourfamilywizard.com.au.
Separation can be an overwhelming time of intense mixed emotions, including sadness, guilt, denial, relief, anger and fear, to name only a few they say. Although it can be tempting in a moment of disagreement to let your anger flow, it will generally be better in the long-term for your family if you take a deep breath, work hard on maintaining your patience (sorting out the details of separation usually takes longer than people hope and expect), and give both you and your partner time to understand the shifting needs of your family as you move from being a one-household family to a two-household family.
The Family Court of Australia and Federal Circuit Court of Australia use dispute resolution services (funded by the Australian Government) because they are an affordable and often quick option for resolving disputes, while allowing you greater control and management of the process and the outcome.
Where possible, you should seek legal advice before deciding what the best option is. A lawyer will be able to help you understand your rights and responsibilities and can explain the law that applies to your case.
They can also help you and your former partner reach an agreement without needing to come to court. If you can't afford a lawyer, the Family Relationship Advice Line offers free legal advice and information on services that may be able to help you come to an agreement.
You can call them on 1800 050 321, or for more information visit www.familyrelationships.gov.au
You can also get free legal advice from a legal advice line or Legal Aid organisation. Victorian Legal Aid helps people to resolve their family disputes and respond to state intervention to achieve safe, workable and child-focused care arrangements for children, while helping to build people's capacity to resolve future disputes without legal assistance.
