Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution (CHC81115)

About This Qualification
This course is designed for Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners who support families experiencing complex and high-conflict situations, often within the family law system. Graduates may work independently or within larger organisations to deliver mediation and dispute resolution services.

The qualification aligns with the Family Law Act 1975 and the Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners Regulations 2008, ensuring compliance with national standards. Practitioners are trained to make complex, independent decisions in specialised legal contexts, and may also take on leadership responsibilities such as planning, budgeting, and program management.

Work Placement Requirement:
To complete this qualification, students must undertake 50 hours of practical work as outlined in the unit assessment requirements.

Duration	42 weeks
Level	Graduate Diploma
National Code	CHC81115
Delivery mode	Online
Study Arrangement	38 weeks study + 4 weeks break
Course Fee	$9,990

There are 6 core units and 4 elective units, a total of 10 units as listed below for this qualification:

	Unit of Competency	Unit Type
CHCDFV008	Manage responses to domestic and family violence in family work	Core
CHCDSP001	Facilitate dispute resolution in the family law context	Core
CHCDSP002	Adhere to ethical standards in family dispute resolution	Core
CHCDSP003	Support the safety of vulnerable parties in dispute resolution	Core
CHCFAM001	Operate in a family law environment	Core
CHCFAM002	Work with a child-focused approach	Core
CHCDFV013	Manage domestic and family violence screening and risk assessment processes	Elec
CHCFAM007	Assist clients to develop parenting arrangements	Elec
CHCFAM008	Work within a child inclusive framework	Elec
CHCYTH023	Work effectively with young people and their nominated carer or families	Elec

The CHC Community Services National Training package requires that students have the following requirements:

hold an undergraduate degree or higher qualification in Psychology, Social Work, Law, Conflict Management, Dispute Resolution, Family Law Mediation or equivalent or
hold accreditation under the National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS) or
hold the Mediation skill set from the Community Services Training Package (CHC) or
can provide documented evidence of previous experience in a dispute resolution environment in a job role involving self-directed application of knowledge with substantial depth in some areas, exercise of independent judgement and decision-making, and a range of technical and other skills.

It is a college requirement that students enrolment of participants will be subject to successfully completing the pre-enrolment interview and have access to a computer with internet access and video camera installed.

Student must also have Microsoft Office/Word/PowerPoint and Excel loaded.

Licensing/Regulatory Information

Following receiving your Diploma in FDR, you will be required to make an application to the Attorney General’s Department submitting your Diploma and further documents to obtain recognition as a licensed FDR practitioner.

Student Cohort

This qualification is designed for lawyers working within a law practice or aspiring mediators. The student will already be in legal practice with experience in family law working towards achieving the status of a Family Dispute Resolutions Practitioner.

Pathways

Students obtaining a competency for all units in this course will be awarded the full qualification CHC81115 Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution. Students not obtaining a competent result for all units in this course will receive a Statement of Attainment for those units assessed as being competent.

Post-graduate employment pathways for students completing this qualification include possible job titles such: as Family Dispute resolution Practitioner or a solicitor specialising in mediation or family law matters.

Academic pathways include BSB60420 Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management.

Educational & Support Services

All staff at Australian Academy of Legal Education including contracted trainers/assessors act as student support officers and can refer students to appropriate external support providers as appropriate. Australian Academy of Legal Education has a range of support options available for its students to ensure they progress through the program in a confident way, feeling supported at every step of their learning with us. The support services extended to our diploma level students are IT support and printing support with emotional support and wellbeing consultation as necessary.

We ensure that students are capable of conducting on-line/distance learning over the internet prior to course commencement.

Course Delivery Mode

This course is conducted as blended learning as distance learning with on-line delivery. The student is immersed into a simulated legal practice to facilitate the interaction without privacy and confidentiality concerns.

RPL/Credit Transfer

Students can have their competency from prior learning and work experience recognised in this course through the following arrangements:

Recognition in the form of RPL and Credit Transfer are offered to students prior to enrolment.
Students who have successfully completed previous training and who have achieved relevant unit will be eligible for credit transfer.

The aim of granting recognition is to reduce the amount of learning required to achieve a qualification or accredited course by acknowledging an individual’s skills and knowledge acquired through formal and informal learning.

Australian Academy of Legal Education provides each student with an RPL kit and related documentation that explain the entire process. RPL information is also contained in the student Handbook available on the institute’s website.