Australian Government: Attorney-General's Department
Australian Government: Attorney-General's DepartmentAchieving a Just and Secure Society

For Potential Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners

How to become an FDR Practitioner

A registered family dispute resolution practitioner is an individual that meets the requirements under the Family Law Act to provide family dispute resolution.

People wanting to become a registered family dispute resolution practitioner must apply to the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department for inclusion on the Family Dispute Resolution Register.

For information on the registration process, instructions on how to complete the application and an application form, download:

Interim Accreditation Rules

Until 30 June 2009, family dispute resolution practitioners seeking to be registered on the Family Dispute Resolution Register are required to meet the interim Accreditation Rules.  (These Rules do not apply to practitioners authorised to provide family dispute resolution on behalf of a registered family dispute resolution organisation).
To meet the interim accreditation requirements (until 30 June 2009), a person must:

  • have been awarded an appropriate degree, diploma or other qualification from a university, college of advanced education or other tertiary institution of an equivalent standard, or
  • be admitted as a legal practitioner in one or more Australian State or Territory.

The person must also:

  • have completed at least 10 hours of supervised family dispute resolution
  • have completed five days training in dispute resolution, including at least one course of at least three days duration, and
  • meet the requirements for registration in the Family Dispute Resolution Register.

New accreditation standards

From 1 January 2009, individuals will also be able to meet the new accreditation standards set out in the Family Law (Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner) Regulations 2008.

All practitioners will need to satisfy the requirements of the new accreditation standards before 1 July 2009. All currently registered family dispute resolution practitioners will need to meet the new standards by that date in order to continue their registration.

The new accreditation rules provide for three pathways to meet the requirements:

  • completion of the full Vocational Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution (or the higher education provider equivalent); or
  • an appropriate qualification or accreditation under the National Mediation Accreditation Scheme and competency in the six compulsory units from the Vocational Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution (or the higher education provider equivalent); or
  • inclusion in the Register before 1 July 2009 and competency in the three specified units (or higher education provider equivalent).

The Regulations allow for higher education providers to certify that the postgraduate course or units they provide are equivalent to those in the Vocational Graduate Diploma.

Training and assessment against the new accreditation standards will be delivered by registered training organisations and higher education providers that provide equivalent units.

Financial assistance will be available to help registered family dispute resolution practitioners meet the new standards.  All currently registered practitioners and those registered under the current system by 28 February 2009 will be eligible to access subsidised assessments and training.

Following a request for tender process  the Australian Family Dispute Resolution Training Group will deliver subsidised assessments and training for these practitioners.  See the Attorney-General’s media release.

More information will be provided in early 2009 on how subsidised assessments and training will be delivered. 

For more information about the new accreditation standards see:

Further information

Please contact Practitioner Registration on 1800 025 255 or via e-mail fdrregistration@ag.gov.au if you have further questions.