Rhondda Matthews
Rhondda’s current practice focuses on assessment and report writing. She is a forensic social scientist and Single Expert for the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court.
Rhondda holds qualifications in Social Work and Social Science. She has been working with children and families for over 30 years both in Australia and the UK. Rhondda has extensive experience in the areas of family law, child protection, adoption and fostering, family support and out of home care with children, young people and with people with a disability.
Some of the positions Rhondda has held are; Manager of Uniting Counselling and Mediation service Parramatta, Manager of Fairfield Family Relationship Centre, Reg 7 Family Consultant; Family Consultant at the Family Court and Federal Circuit Courts of Australia (Sydney & Parramatta) , Official Community Visitor, Senior Child Protection Officer and Senior Child Care Practitioner.
Rhondda established the Family Relationship Network at the end of 2017 to meet the need for affordable services by experienced and flexible practitioners in the area of family law. Rhondda also aims to provide an opportunity for newer workers to obtain experience under close supervision in this very specialised area of social work.
The cost of a Family Report is $10,000.00 [plus GST]. There are no additional charges. Next availability October 2025
A reduced fee is available in some cases. ICL's can contact Rhondda directly to discuss this.
Child Impact Reports. The cost of these reports is $4400.00 for a family with 2 children and 2 adults.
Please see CV below
PH: 0423165668 email: rmatthews@familyrelationshipnetwork.com.au
DAVIDE DI PIETRO
Davide is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and the Principal practitioner of a service providing counselling support and psychological interventions, specifically for children, young people and adults who are facing psycho-social issues related to parental separation. He also completes Child Impact Reports, providing preliminary assessment and advice about the needs of children.
Prior to this, Davide worked in the private sector and specialised in working with people who have experienced childhood-trauma related stress and anxiety. He has provided trauma-informed counselling to victims of crime under the Approved Counselling Service since 2016 and has been an Outreach Program Counsellor for Open Arms (VVCS) until 2024.
Davide has experience working as a Child Welfare Specialist/Assessor for Assessments Australia and as a Keeping Contact Consultant for Uniting Unifam Counselling and Mediation. Between 2010 and 2015, he worked alongside DCJ as a child protection family counsellor in the UnitingCare Burnside Family Preservation Program.
At present, Davide is accepting referrals for family therapy and for Child Impact Reports. The cost of a Child Impact Report is $4,000 (incl. GST) for a family of 2 adults and 2 children.
The preparation of a Child Impact Report includes:
• Review of the initial application and response
• Most recent affidavit of each parent
• Notices of risk
• An interview with each parent and each child (over 5 years old)
• A Resilience Report for each adult
• A feedback session with each parent
A limited report including the analysis of:
• The strengths, resources and mental health screening of each family member.
• The needs and experiences of the children
• Parents' understanding of the children's needs
• A preliminary opinion on the opportunities for resolution.
Davide works at the Reliance Centre, Epping and can be contacted on PH:02 9869 0377
LUCIA VARDANEGA
Lucia can be contacted on Mobile:0414642180
Email: lucia_vardanega@hotmail.com
Lucia is a psychologist. She has worked with children and families for 35 years. Lucia’s practice is based in Annandale and in Winmalee in the Blue Mountains.
Lucia began working as a Family Consultant in the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court (previously Federal Magistrates Court) in 1986. She now works with families in an assessment and therapy capacity in private practice, including as a Regulation 7 Family Consultant and a family therapist.
BERNADETTE DEVINE
Bernadette Devine has a Masters degree in Social Work (Major in Counselling) and has over 25 years experience in assisting children, individual adults, couples and families from diverse backgrounds with their mental health and wellbeing.
Bernadette’s current practice focuses on assessment and preparing Child Impact Reports for the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.
From 2009 until early 2023 Bernadette was a Family Consultant/Court Child Expert at the Parramatta Registry of the FCFCOA providing expert opinion to the Judiciary on issues such as family violence, resist/refuse dynamics, relocation, the impact of mental health and substance misuse on parenting, and the impact of parental conflict on children. She has completed over 950 Child Inclusive Conferences/Child and Parent Issues Assessments/Child Impact Reports.
In the past Bernadette has provided Court ordered family therapy to high conflict separated families (particularly when a child was refusing to see a parent).
Prior to commencing at the Parramatta Registry, Bernadette worked full time as a couple and family therapist working with complex couple and family issues including but not limited to communication difficulties, desire discrepancy, infidelity, family violence, step-parenting issues, the impact of mental health issues and substance abuse on relationships, and behavioural difficulties in children. She also provided clinical supervision to other family therapists and has acted as a Child Consultant in Family Dispute Resolution.
Bernadette was Lecturer-in-charge at ACU for the undergraduate unit Working with Families and Groups for several years and was involved in the development of the post separation parenting program Keeping Kids in Mind.
Bernadette is available to provide Child Impact Report Assessments. The cost is $3500+ GST.
Bernadette can be contacted on 0403290062 or via email at bernadette@bernadettedevine.com.au
DONNA BOWEN
Donna is a very experienced clinical practitioner who specialises in assisting parents to maximise their children’s healthy adjustment to family separation and providing Child Impact reports to courts to assist with determination of the best interests of children. She undertakes assessments and reports for interim hearings before the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court of Australia and for parents seeking assistance to resolve parenting disputes.
Donna has a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Sydney and had a long career as a Court Child Expert with the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court of Australia in Sydney and Lismore Registries. She has expertise in relationships, conflict, child protection, family violence, child development and mediation.
A child impact style report for an interim hearing involving two parents and two children is $4000 (includes GST). This includes reading preliminary documents, a face to face or video conference with each parent (or each party to legal proceedings), an interview with each child, or in the case of young children, parent/child observations in a child friendly setting, follow-up discussions with each parent and a written report.
Donna undertakes work in Sydney and the northern rivers of NSW and can be contacted on;
M: 0497 501 627
Email: dbowenconsultancy@gmail.com
ALLISON DILLON
Allison Dillon is a highly experienced social worker, with over 30 years of expertise working with children and families with a focus on child protection. She is currently available to prepare Short Form Reports for the Federal Circuit Court and Family Court of Australia. Allison will provide child-centred assessments and recommendations to assist the Court in determining the best outcomes for children. Allison’s approach is defined by her deep empathy and understanding of family dynamics. As a social worker, she is highly regarded for her ability to make families feel heard and supported during stressful and emotionally charged situations. Known for her approachable nature, warmth, and integrity, she is committed to working collaboratively towards outcomes that consider the long-term needs of children and their families. Her family-focused approach ensures that her recommendations promote the well-being of all involved while keeping the child’s best interest as the priority. Prior to her current role, Allison worked in juvenile justice and child protection. She was a Regional Manager for DCJ. Allison’s background equips her with a deep understanding of the complexities of working with vulnerable children and families, ensuring that her work is grounded in both empathy and practical experience. Allison has a Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Social Science and a Master of Public Administration.
Allison has rooms and provides services across a wide geographical area, including Sydney, the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Sapphire Coast, and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). She will complete Short Form Reports for an interim hearing involving two parents and two children for a cost of $4400 including GST.
Please contact Allison directly on: M: 0419 410 313 allison@allisondillonconsulting.com.au
Supervised Contact service
Family Ties Contact Service provides contact supervision services across the Sydney area.
The service facilitates supervised childrens contact, visitation, visit reports and changeovers for separated parents where there is a Court Order or a Parent Agreement in place. The team is highly skilled, qualified and experienced. They are committed to providing a service that is affordable, professional and efficient.
Family Ties is managed by two qualified social workers with over 20 years experience in the fields of child protection, family law and supervised contact.
Family Ties are able to provide a independent, specialised services which are tailored to the specific needs of each family. The safety and wellbeing of the child is always their highest priority and is at the heart of every decision they make. Staff are rigorously assessed, hold a current first aid certificate and have both National Police and Working with Children Checks. Their supervisors are friendly, compassionate, child-focused and supportive. The service provides parents with role modelling and guidance on positive parenting in a supportive manner. The supervisors always put the children at the forefront of every decision and will encourage parents and children to engage and interact in meaningful ways.