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InterMEDIATE Dispute Management Pty Ltd are proud to advise that after scrupulous examination of our Family Dispute Resolution services, our organisation has become the ONLY private organisation in Australia to be formally recognised and nominated to the Federal Attorney General's Family Relationships Online website and Advice Line, for Family Dispute Resolution provision.
Families in Australia are increasingly under pressure and divorce rates are high. These rates climb to over 50% for second marriages. Step families with children have the highest rates of all.
Step-family environments and new relationships change family dynamics and can create concern with the family of origin. These are times that effective Family Dispute Resolution can create an opportunity for open dialogue, airing of concerns, building bridges of understanding and crafting of agreements designed to help reassure parents and children of a safe and happy family environment.
Unfortunately most people wait too late to ask for help. When disputes have escalated and entrenched, some family members in conflict are often no longer prepared, or feel able to work at staying together.
Early intervention in disputes is the key to resolving them. Step family mediation or Step Family Dispute Resolution with professionals who understand and care about your situation can be the key to helping your family to get along with respect and greater harmony.
Complex family dynamics, attachment issues, competing priorities and relationships, different rules, power struggles, families of origin, children spending time with other parent - and their new partner and their children, new siblings, new places, new schools, step parents, parents struggling to balance the day to day difficulties, step children acting out, trying to stay visible or out of sight, the environment can become toxic if not managed early and appropriately. Children can suffer serious and permanent psychological damage if affected. Parents and step parents can feel stressed, anxious, irritated, angry, frustrated, and step families can be torn apart.
Whether step families are forming, establishing, or separating conflicts can and do have extra complications. InterMEDIATE Dispute Management Pty Ltd Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners are understanding, as well as expert in helping step families to resolve their issues. All those who have an interest in the dispute may be able to attend Family Dispute Resolution - natural as well as step-parents and adolescent children where desired. This may be face to face or by telephone or Skype.
All families have issues, and blending families does not occur easily. Becoming a successful step family requires understanding, dedication, acceptance and often help from those who are experienced in helping with unique step family issues. With the right attitude and a willingness to seek assistance from skillful helpers, becoming a step father or a step mother can be a blessing. Step children can feel included and important members of the step family.
InterMEDIATE Dispute Management Pty Ltd mediation and Family Dispute Resolution takes a multidisciplinary approach in consideration of the almalgamated needs of each family, and the individual needs of each step family member, and where possible the extended family and families of origin. With the agreement of all parties, new partners as well as former partners are welcome to attend mediation together to help resolve their issues
Step family mediation and Step Family Dispute Resolution assist with helping each family member understand the needs of the others, and the others to understand them, with a view to defining boundaries, resolving disputes and making agreements, that will help them to live together in a healthy cooperative environment.
Counselling may assist step family members who are struggling to manage their emotional and psychological wellbeing.
To enable the authentic voices of step children to be heard, Child Inclusive Practice can bring their concerns into the mediation. For further information about Child Inclusive Practice, see our parenting page.
Family therapy can help the parents and children to communicate with a more therapeutic focus and wholistic approach, and are generally limited to one or two objectives.
Family Services 
