Building Child-Centred Co-Parenting Arrangements After Separation
Separation is one of life's most challenging transitions — not just for the adults involved, but for the children who are watching, feeling, and adapting every single day. At Lifeward Family Therapy in Rockingham, we support separated parents to build child-centred co-parenting arrangements that protect their children's wellbeing, reduce ongoing conflict, and create a foundation for cooperative parenting — however complex the separation has been.
Co-parenting after separation does not require parents to like each other. It does not require them to agree on everything. What it does require is a shared commitment to putting their children's needs first — and sometimes, that commitment needs professional support to grow. If you are a separated parent in Rockingham or the southern Perth suburbs, Lifeward's family therapy services can help you build that foundation.
What is Co-Parenting Therapy?
Co-parenting therapy is a structured, forward-focused process that helps two parents who are no longer in a relationship to communicate constructively and make decisions collaboratively about their children. It is not couples counselling. It is not about repairing or reconciling the adult relationship. The central focus — always — is the wellbeing of the children.
In co-parenting therapy, the therapist acts as a neutral, child-focused professional who helps both parents:
- Communicate without conflict escalating
- Develop consistent approaches to parenting across two households
- Understand the impact of their conflict on their children
- Build practical structures for shared decision-making
- Manage emotional triggers that arise in co-parenting interactions
Co-parenting therapy is appropriate at any stage of separation — whether parents separated recently or years ago, and whether or not legal proceedings are involved. It is a proactive, practical investment in your children's future.
Why Co-Parenting is So Challenging
Even parents who separate amicably can find co-parenting unexpectedly difficult. For those whose separation involved significant conflict, betrayal, or trauma, the challenges can feel insurmountable. Common barriers to effective co-parenting include:
- Residual conflict and hurt: Unresolved anger, grief, or resentment from the relationship can spill into every co-parenting interaction.
- Different parenting styles: When parents had different approaches during the relationship, managing those differences across two separate households becomes even harder.
- New partners: The introduction of new partners into the family system is a common trigger for co-parenting conflict.
- Communication breakdown: Hostile text messages, refusal to communicate, or communication only through the children are all signs of a system under strain.
- Legal disputes: Family law proceedings can harden positions and increase adversarial dynamics between parents.
Research consistently shows that children of separated parents do significantly better when their parents are able to cooperate. Ongoing conflict between parents — not the separation itself — is the single biggest risk factor for poor child outcomes following family breakdown. Children thrive when they feel free to love both parents without guilt or loyalty conflict.
This is why co-parenting support is not a luxury — it is an investment in your children's emotional health and long-term development.
Struggling to co-parent effectively?
Lifeward supports Rockingham families through separation with child-centred, non-adversarial co-parenting therapy. You do not have to navigate this alone.
Call 08 9500 2609Signs Your Family Could Benefit From Co-Parenting Support
Co-parenting difficulties can present in many different ways. If you recognise any of the following, it may be time to seek professional support.
- Using children as messengers between parents
- Hostile, aggressive, or threatening text and email exchanges
- Refusing or being unable to communicate with the other parent at all
- Inability to agree on basic matters such as school events, medical appointments, or changeover arrangements
- Communication that consistently escalates into argument or abuse
- Contradictory rules, boundaries, or expectations across the two households
- Children showing distress, anxiety, or physical symptoms around changeover times
- One parent undermining the authority or parenting of the other
- Significant differences in discipline approaches that are causing confusion for children
- Difficulty making joint decisions about education, health, or extracurricular activities
- Co-parenting conflict that is escalating toward, or is already involved in, the Family Court of Australia
- Threats or attempts to restrict the other parent's time with the children
- Legal proceedings that are increasing stress for both parents and the children
- An inability to agree on parenting arrangements without formal legal intervention
Co-parenting therapy can complement, but does not replace, legal advice or mediation. It works at the therapeutic and relational level to reduce the conflict that is driving legal escalation.
- Developmental regression (e.g., bedwetting, thumb-sucking in older children)
- School refusal or sudden decline in academic performance
- Emotional outbursts, aggression, or extreme clinginess
- Social withdrawal or loss of interest in activities the child previously enjoyed
- Children expressing loyalty conflicts or feeling responsible for the parents' conflict
- Sleep disturbances, somatic complaints (headaches, stomach aches) with no medical cause
How Lifeward Supports Separated Families
Natasha Pekic, Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) and AASW registered clinician, works with separated parents in Rockingham using a child-centred, non-adversarial therapeutic approach. Natasha's practice is grounded in genuine respect for both parents, regardless of the circumstances of the separation.
Our Approach to Co-Parenting Therapy
At Lifeward, co-parenting therapy is structured around the needs of the children and the practical realities of the family system. Sessions may involve:
- Individual sessions with each parent — to explore personal goals, emotional processing, and communication patterns without the pressure of the other parent being present
- Joint co-parenting sessions — where both parents work together with Natasha to develop shared agreements and communication strategies
- Child-inclusive sessions — where appropriate, children may be included to ensure their voice and experience informs the therapeutic process
Therapeutic Frameworks
Lifeward draws on a range of evidence-based frameworks in co-parenting therapy, including:
- Narrative therapy — helping each parent reauthor their story of separation in ways that reduce conflict and increase agency
- Family systems theory — understanding how patterns of interaction in the family system affect children and parents alike
- Attachment theory — supporting both parents to understand the impact of their conflict on children's attachment security and emotional development
The work at Lifeward is not about taking sides. Both parents are treated with equal respect and care. The goal is always the same: to create the most supportive environment possible for the children at the centre of the family.
Learn more about our broader family therapy services in Rockingham or view all our services.
Building a Child-Centred Co-Parenting Plan
One of the most practical outcomes of co-parenting therapy is a working co-parenting plan — a therapeutic agreement between both parents about how they will raise their children together, even while living separately.
Important note: A co-parenting plan developed in therapy is not a legally binding document. It is a therapeutic working agreement designed to guide day-to-day co-parenting. It can complement legal parenting orders but is not a substitute for them. Parents who need formal legal parenting orders should seek independent legal advice.
What a Co-Parenting Plan Typically Covers
- Shared communication agreements — preferred methods, frequency, and tone of communication between parents
- Parenting schedule framework — how time is structured across both households, including changeover arrangements
- Clear boundaries — what each parent agrees not to do in front of, or to, the children (e.g., no negative comments about the other parent)
- Decision-making structures — how major decisions about education, healthcare, religion, and extracurricular activities will be made
- Conflict management protocols — agreed steps for managing disagreements before they escalate
- Review mechanisms — how and when the plan will be revisited as the children grow and circumstances change
A well-constructed co-parenting plan reduces ambiguity, lowers conflict, and gives children the consistency and predictability they need to thrive.
Ready to build a better co-parenting arrangement?
Book a co-parenting support session in Rockingham. Natasha Pekic works with separated Rockingham families to create child-centred arrangements that work.
Call 08 9500 2609 Enquire OnlineCan Medicare Be Used for Co-Parenting Therapy?
Yes — in many cases, Medicare rebates are available for individual sessions with Natasha Pekic through the Better Access to Mental Health Care scheme.
How Medicare Works for Co-Parenting Sessions
- Each parent can access Medicare rebates individually for their own sessions. You do not need to attend as a couple.
- To access Medicare rebates, each parent will need a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) from their GP.
- Natasha Pekic is a registered Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), and is an approved Better Access provider.
- Medicare rebates apply to individual sessions. Joint co-parenting sessions are not currently rebatable under Medicare, though individual preparatory and follow-up sessions are.
For a full explanation of how Medicare rebates apply to family therapy at Lifeward, visit our Medicare and Family Therapy page.
Getting Started at Lifeward
Beginning co-parenting therapy is straightforward. Here is what to expect when you contact Lifeward:
- Contact us: Call 08 9500 2609 or use our online enquiry form to request an appointment. You do not need a referral to make an initial enquiry, though you will need a GP referral to access Medicare rebates.
- Initial assessment: Your first session is an individual assessment with Natasha Pekic. This is an opportunity to share your situation, discuss your children's needs, and explore your goals for co-parenting therapy.
- Discuss goals: Together, you and Natasha will identify the key areas of co-parenting difficulty and agree on a therapeutic focus.
- Structured support plan: Natasha will work with you to develop a structured plan for sessions — whether individual, joint, or a combination of both.
Telehealth Available
Lifeward offers telehealth sessions for parents who find it difficult to attend in person — whether due to work commitments, distance, or the logistical challenges that come with managing a family after separation. Telehealth sessions are conducted via secure video platform and are available for individual co-parenting sessions.
Lifeward is located at Unit 5/11 Robinson Road, Rockingham WA 6168. We welcome families from Rockingham, Baldivis, Secret Harbour, Mandurah, and the broader southern Perth region. Contact us to find out more.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While joint sessions can be very productive when both parents are willing, co-parenting therapy can begin with one parent attending individually. Working on your own communication patterns, emotional responses, and co-parenting strategies is valuable regardless of whether the other parent participates. If the other parent later chooses to engage, joint sessions can be incorporated into the therapeutic plan.
No. Family mediation is a formal dispute resolution process, often legally required before Family Court proceedings, focused on reaching binding agreements about parenting arrangements. Co-parenting therapy is a therapeutic process focused on improving the relational and communication dynamics between parents over time. Both can be valuable, and they serve different purposes. Many families benefit from both processes at different stages of their separation journey.
Yes. Co-parenting therapy can be beneficial even when family law proceedings are underway. It works at the therapeutic level to reduce the emotional and relational conflict that often fuels legal disputes. Reducing conflict is in the best interests of the children — and often, in the long-term interests of both parents. Please note that Lifeward's role is therapeutic, not legal. If you require legal advice, please consult a family law solicitor.
Not necessarily. The majority of co-parenting therapy work is done with the parents. However, in some cases, including the children in one or more sessions can be therapeutically valuable — particularly where children are experiencing significant distress, or where direct feedback from the child about their experience is useful to inform the therapeutic process. Whether to include children is always discussed with both parents and decided collaboratively, with the child's best interests at the centre.
The number of sessions varies depending on the complexity of the co-parenting situation and the goals of each parent. Some families achieve significant progress in as few as four to six sessions. Others benefit from longer-term therapeutic support, particularly where high conflict or significant trauma is involved. Natasha will discuss a realistic plan with you during your initial assessment. Sessions can be spaced according to your schedule and the pace of progress.