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Overview
If you can't reach a private parenting agreement, you can apply to the Family Court to decide for you.
In this section
You can apply for two types of orders in this situation
- If you disagree about who looks after the child or when other whānau members see the child, you can apply for a ‘Parenting Order’.
- If you disagree about guardianship issues, you can apply for an ‘Order to settle Disputes between Guardians’.
Guardianship issues include what school the child goes to, medical treatment (other than routine medical matters), what their culture, language and religion will be and any changes to their name.
If you come to an agreement after you've applied to the Family Court
You and the other people involved in the case may come to an agreement at any time after an application has been made to the Family Court. You will need to ask the Family Court to consider making what you’ve agreed into an order. To do this, you and the other people involved in the case must file a consent memorandum.
Resources in other languages and alternate formats
We have resources available in different languages and alternate formats. Select the language or alternate format to get the resources relevant to this page.
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Resources in other languages
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Resources in alternate formats
Feeling overwhelmed?
Going through a change in your whānau situation can be hard. It's normal to feel overwhelmed. There are services available to help and support you through this time.
Visit our help page