How online FDR actually works.
From first call to a signed agreement. A plain-language walkthrough of every step, how long each takes, and what to expect from a practitioner who stays in the room until the job is done.
The FDR process, from start to finish
Every matter moves through the same sequence of steps. The number of sessions varies depending on complexity and how far apart the parties begin. What does not vary is the commitment to getting there.
Free discovery call
A discovery call with your mediator to talk through your situation and confirm that FDR is appropriate for your circumstances. This is not a sales call. If FDR is not right for you, we will say so and point you in the right direction.
If you decide to proceed, you will each receive a booking link for your individual intake session.
Individual intake sessions
Each party meets separately with the mediator for a one-hour session. This is your opportunity to speak candidly about your situation, your concerns, and what matters most to you, without the other party present.
The intake session also allows the mediator to assess whether the matter is suitable for joint FDR, and to identify any issues that may need to be managed in the joint process. For financial matters, the mediator will walk through the duty of full and frank disclosure with you, in line with the statutory obligation under sections 71B, 90RI, and 90YJA of the Family Law Act.
If financial matters are in scope, you will be given the Full and Frank Disclosure worksheet to complete before the first joint financial session.
Joint mediation session
Both parties join the same video call with the mediator. Session length depends on the matter type. Parenting matters and financial settlement are addressed in their own sessions.
Parenting matters: Joint sessions for parenting matters run for four hours. This length allows the discussion to move properly through the framework of issues that parenting arrangements need to cover, without artificial time pressure forcing premature compromise.
Financial settlement: Joint sessions for financial matters run for three hours. Couples without children can often reach agreement in a single session, provided both parties arrive with the Full and Frank Disclosure worksheet completed. Matters involving property, superannuation, and business interests typically need more time.
Between sessions, if needed
Most matters that need more than one session resolve in two to three joint sessions in total. Higher-conflict matters can take more. Where the first session does not reach full agreement, subsequent sessions are booked and parties are often given specific tasks to complete in between, so each session moves forward rather than retreading what has already been covered.
Multi-session matters are still significantly less expensive and less drawn out than litigation. The commitment is to keep working.
Agreement or certificate
When agreement is reached, the mediator documents the agreed terms. For parenting matters, this is typically a Parenting Plan or the basis for Consent Orders. For financial matters, it is typically a heads of agreement that lawyers can convert into Consent Orders, or the basis for a Binding Financial Agreement where that is the more appropriate path.
If agreement is not reached, the practitioner documents what occurred. For parenting matters, this takes the form of a Section 60I certificate, issued by the practitioner in accordance with section 60I(8) of the Family Law Act 1975. For financial matters, the practitioner provides a Letter of Attendance and Genuine Effort, which the party can use to support their own Genuine Steps Certificate. Both documents reflect the practitioner's professional assessment of attendance and genuine effort. A certificate or letter is the outcome of last resort, not the goal of the process.
What the process feels like
FDR is structured, but it is not a formal proceeding. Most people are surprised by how different it is from what they expected.
You will be heard
The intake session exists specifically so you can speak without the other party present. Your perspective, concerns, and priorities are understood before the joint process begins.
Confidential and inadmissible
FDR is protected by two distinct provisions of the Family Law Act. Confidentiality (section 10H) prevents disclosure of what was said. Inadmissibility (section 10J) means that even if disclosed, it cannot be admitted as evidence in court. Both protections apply.
Sessions have structure
Your mediator sets the agenda and manages the process. Sessions do not become a forum for relitigating the relationship. The focus stays on what needs to be resolved.
Progress is real
Sessions are designed to move. If something cannot be resolved, it is set aside and returned to. Between sessions, both parties may be given tasks to complete so the next session can cover new ground.
You do not need to be in the same location
Both parties join via Google Meet from wherever they are. Different cities, different states. The only requirement is a private, quiet space and a reliable internet connection.
Significantly less costly than litigation
Even matters that need multiple sessions across both parenting and financial issues come in well below the cost of contested family law proceedings, which can typically run to tens of thousands of dollars per party.
How long does it take?
Every matter is different. These are realistic ranges based on typical cases. Higher conflict, greater financial complexity, and the number of issues in dispute all affect how many sessions are needed.
Requires both parties to arrive with the Full and Frank Disclosure worksheet completed and supporting documents gathered.
One four-hour session for parenting, one three-hour session for financial. Low to moderate conflict.
Still significantly less than the time and cost of contested proceedings.
When parties need to be kept separate.
Shuttle mediation means the mediator moves between parties separately rather than having them in the same virtual room. It is available when a significant power imbalance, safety concern, or level of conflict makes joint sessions unproductive or inappropriate.
Shuttle is not the default. Joint sessions allow parties to hear each other directly, which often unlocks movement that shuttle cannot. Shuttle also significantly increases the time required, and with it the cost. Your mediator will advise if and when shuttle is the better approach for your situation.
In an online environment, shuttle is conducted using breakout rooms inside a single Google Meet session. The mediator moves between rooms; parties remain in their own room and cannot see or hear each other. This is more practical online than in person, where shuttle requires the mediator to physically move between separate rooms while the parties remain in the same building.
A note on safety
If there are family violence concerns, please raise these during the discovery call or your intake session. The Family Law Amendment Act 2024, in force from 10 June 2025, expanded the definition of family violence in section 4AB to expressly include economic and financial abuse. Your safety is assessed as part of the intake process, and shuttle or other arrangements can be put in place before the joint process begins.
What you will need for online sessions
A device with camera and microphone
Laptop, desktop, or tablet. Phone is not recommended for sessions of this length.
Reliable internet connection
A stable connection throughout. A wired connection is more reliable than Wi-Fi for long sessions.
A private, quiet space
Somewhere you will not be interrupted for the duration of the session. Sessions are confidential.
For financial matters: the Full and Frank Disclosure worksheet
Completed and supporting documents gathered before the first joint financial session. Provided to you at intake.
Questions about the process
The questions we hear most often before people book their discovery call.
Yes. FDR requires the genuine participation of both parties. We cannot compel participation. If the other party declines to attend, a Section 60I certificate under paragraph 60I(8)(a) can be issued reflecting their non-attendance, which allows the matter to proceed to court for parenting orders. If only one party contacts us, we will explain the process and suggest ways to approach the other party about participating.
Generally, lawyers do not attend FDR sessions. You are encouraged to seek legal advice before and after sessions, and to consult a lawyer before signing any agreement. Having lawyers present in sessions tends to change the dynamic in ways that can make agreement harder to reach, not easier. If you have specific concerns about this, raise them in the discovery call.
Partial agreement is a real and useful outcome. Any agreements reached during the process can be recorded in a Parenting Plan or heads of agreement. For matters that need to proceed to court on the remaining issues, parties can request a Section 60I certificate that allows the parenting matter to be filed. Court then deals only with what remains in dispute, not with the matters already settled in FDR.
For financial settlement, both parties complete the Full and Frank Disclosure worksheet ahead of the first joint financial session. The worksheet covers income, assets, liabilities, superannuation, financial resources, and any property disposals since separation. Supporting documents include three years of tax returns, twelve months of bank and credit card statements, recent superannuation statements, and statements for any loans or mortgages. The duty of full and frank disclosure is now a statutory obligation under sections 71B and 90RI of the Family Law Act. The worksheet is provided to you at the intake session.
Discovery calls are typically available within a few days of enquiry. Intake sessions follow shortly after. For most matters, the first joint session can be scheduled within two weeks of initial contact. This is significantly faster than government FDR services in most areas, where waiting times can run to several months.
For most matters, the full process runs from first contact to final agreement in a matter of weeks rather than months. Discovery call within a few days, intake sessions within a week or two, joint sessions in the weeks following. Most matters that need more than one joint session resolve in two to three joint sessions in total. Higher-conflict matters can take longer but still run significantly faster than the 18 to 36 month timeline for contested family law proceedings.
The call you make before you call a lawyer.
A free discovery call. Find out whether FDR is right for your situation, what the process looks like for your circumstances, and how quickly you can start.
Free • Confidential • No obligation • Available nationally