Consent Orders

A Consent Order is an agreement of the parties which is filed in the Family Court. Once the Court has approved the Consent Order by deciding that it is in the best interests of the children, they will grant the Order. Orders to do with children are called Parenting Orders.

Parenting Orders are legally binding. This means that if one parent breaches the order by not following what is set out in the Order, then the other party can initiate contravention proceedings in Court.  There are penalties for not following the Parenting Order.

Parenting Orders are the best option if you think that the other party may not adhere to the agreement that you have made, as you can enforce the Order in Court.  A parenting plan cannot be enforced.

Consent orders for parenting can be changed by applying to the court.  The court will only consider changing the Parenting Order if there has been a substantial and significant change in circumstances. This means that it is very important not to sign Orders or other documents that you are unsure about.

Consent order kits are available from the Family Law Courts or through their website.