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family dispute
support Services

Sharing knowledge, supporting & empowering separated whānau through their family separation journey ..

About us

FDSS – Family Dispute Support Services is a not-for-profit community organisation dedicated to supporting separated whānau in resolving their parental disputes. With a holistic, community-led approach, we offer tailored resolution support both in and out of the Family Court.

 Our focus is on early prevention and intervention to safeguard the well-being of whānau and children during separation and prevent adversarial separation, if possible. We have successfully assisted hundreds of families across New Zealand in achieving effective and amicable resolutions.

New Zealand Nationwide
Support Services

Remote support services across all regions in New Zealand.

Our Motto

“Mediation is the best and most efficient way to resolve parental disputes and most importantly it’s the best for children”. We believe that litigating and involving children in the Family Court proceedings should be a last resort, unless there are some proven safety or violence concerns. 

High-conflict litigation can be time-consuming, costly & emotionally draining and often extremely detrimental,  not only to the parents, but also to the children involved as well.

How it started

The inception of our services is rooted in our firsthand personal experience over a decade. We have witnessed hundreds of families struggling with the detrimental impact of adversarial separation and litigation.

This insight strengthened our commitment to providing compassionate support, community guidance, and tailored solutions for families navigating these challenges. As a not-for-profit community organisation, we focus on promoting open communication between parents to reduce parental conflict and litigation and prioritise the well-being of children in separated families.

Upcoming VPS Groups Events

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Why do we exist

FDSS – Family Dispute Support Services was created due to the fact that the Family Court was criticized as being monocultural and not fit for purpose The Family Court proceedings are perceived as daunting, lengthy and expensive for many families. Many parents reported that they are treated unfairly and like criminals in the family court system. 

We have personally known many parents who have chosen to end their lives, because they haven’t had any support or guidance through the complex process of separation and dealing with the Family Court. Many have experienced severe mental health strain due to their involvement in the Family Court proceedings and their struggle to access to their children. Many parents we’ve known ended their lives or abandoned their children after despair

Upcoming Workshops

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"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members"

     – Coretta Scott King

What whānau say about us ?

5 stars reviews
5/5

Donors - Sponsors & Contributors

Huge thanks for FDSS donors, sponsors and contributors. Without their support, FDSS wouldn't be able to offer such crucial services for our families and communities.

Our Blog

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