Alternatives to amica for Custody Arrangements in Queensland
amica is the free online tool developed in partnership with Legal Aid commissions that helps separating couples divide property and create parenting plans. For straightforward, amicable separations with simple schedules, it works well. But if your custody situation involves anything beyond a basic arrangement — high-conflict communication, complex scheduling across multiple children, DVO compliance, long-distance parenting, or FIFO rosters — amica's templates hit their limits quickly.
Here are five alternatives that handle the situations amica can't, ranked by cost and complexity.
Quick Comparison
| Option | Cost | Best For | Main Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland custody guide | one-time | Self-guided drafting with worksheets | No personalised legal advice |
| Family Relationship Centre (FDR) | First three hours free | Negotiating terms with a mediator | 3–6 month wait times |
| Private mediator | A$1,500–A$3,000/half-day | Faster scheduling, specialised expertise | Both parents must attend voluntarily |
| Online Consent Orders service | $1,500–$2,500 | Couples who agree but want binding orders | Template-driven, limited customisation |
| Family lawyer | $400–$1,000+/hour | Complex, contested, or violent situations | A$2,000–A$5,500 for Consent Orders |
1. Self-Guided Custody Guide with Worksheets
Cost: one-time
Best for: Parents who need more depth and flexibility than amica provides but don't need a lawyer
amica generates a parenting plan through a structured questionnaire, but the output is limited to what the platform's templates can produce. If your arrangements need custom clauses — parallel parenting communication protocols, FIFO roster schedules, split care across multiple children with different needs, or DVO-compliant changeover logistics — the questionnaire doesn't have fields for them.
A comprehensive custody guide gives you the same clause-by-clause drafting process a family lawyer uses, with the flexibility to build arrangements that fit your specific situation. The Queensland Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide covers the full arc: the post-May 2024 legal framework (which amica's interface doesn't explicitly explain), Section 63C statutory requirements, age-appropriate scheduling for four developmental stages, Consent Orders filing through the Commonwealth Courts Portal, and child support formula calculations.
It also includes nine standalone worksheets — weekly schedule planner, holiday allocator, changeover log, expense tracker, mediation preparation sheet, decision-making matrix, child support estimator, long-distance contact schedule, and parenting plan clause checklist — that you print, fill in, and take to mediation or attach to your plan.
Where it falls short: Like amica, a guide doesn't provide personalised legal advice. If your situation involves contested court proceedings, you need professional help.
2. Family Relationship Centres (Free FDR)
Cost: First three hours free, subsequent sessions scaled to income (approximately A$60/hour)
Best for: Parents who need a neutral third party to help negotiate terms
Family Relationship Centres are government-funded centres that provide Family Dispute Resolution — the mandatory mediation step before any non-urgent court application for parenting orders. Queensland has centres in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Cairns, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, and several regional locations.
The first three hours are free for participants. Subsequent joint sessions are scaled to household income. FDR practitioners are accredited mediators who help parents work through disagreements about living arrangements, changeover logistics, holiday schedules, and major decision-making.
If mediation succeeds, you leave with either a written agreement or the basis for one. If it fails, the practitioner issues a Section 60I certificate — the mandatory prerequisite for filing a non-consent application for parenting orders.
Where it falls short: Wait times are the main drawback. Expect a 3–6 month intake wait, longer in regional areas. FDR also requires both parents to attend voluntarily (unless the practitioner conducts shuttle mediation for safety reasons). And FRC mediators help you negotiate — they don't draft your documents. You still need to convert the agreement into a parenting plan or Consent Orders yourself.
Best combined with: A custody guide for pre-mediation preparation and post-mediation document drafting. Parents who arrive at FDR with written proposals and structured schedules consistently reach agreement faster.
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3. Private Mediator
Cost: A$1,500–A$3,000 for a half-day session, or up to A$5,000 for a full day
Best for: Parents who want faster scheduling and a mediator with specific family law expertise
Private mediators offer the same FDR service as Family Relationship Centres but with shorter wait times (often 7–14 days) and often more flexibility in session scheduling (evenings, weekends). Many private mediators are also family lawyers, which means they can identify legal issues during the session that a non-lawyer mediator might miss.
Some private mediators in Queensland also offer a "legally-assisted mediation" model where each parent has a lawyer present during the session. This is more expensive ($2,000–$5,000 total) but produces a high rate of settlement because both parents receive real-time legal advice about whether proposed arrangements are realistic and enforceable.
Where it falls short: Cost is the obvious barrier — A$1,500–A$3,000 for a half-day, or up to A$5,000 for a full day, is significantly more than amica (free) or a guide (). And like FDR through a Family Relationship Centre, both parents must participate voluntarily.
4. Online Consent Orders Service
Cost: $1,500–$2,500
Best for: Couples who already agree on arrangements and want legally binding orders without engaging individual lawyers
Several Australian legal services offer a streamlined process for converting agreed parenting arrangements into Consent Orders. They typically involve an online questionnaire (similar to amica but more detailed), a drafting stage where a paralegal or lawyer prepares the documents, and filing through the Commonwealth Courts Portal on your behalf.
This fills a specific gap: couples who've already negotiated their arrangements (through amica, a guide, or direct conversation) but want a professional to handle the legal formatting and filing. Consent Orders are typically processed in 4–8 weeks.
Where it falls short: These services are template-driven, which means they handle standard arrangements well but struggle with the same edge cases amica does — complex schedules, DVO compliance, and unusual family structures. They're also significantly more expensive than doing the filing yourself with guide-based instructions. And they're not appropriate for contested matters; if you don't already agree, they can't help you negotiate.
5. Family Lawyer
Cost: $400–$1,000+/hour (A$2,000–A$5,500 for Consent Orders)
Best for: Contested matters, complex DVO situations, international relocation, and cases already before the court
When you need a family lawyer for custody in Queensland, you genuinely need one — the situations listed above involve legal complexity and procedural requirements that no guide, app, or mediation service can adequately address. A lawyer drafts your documents, represents you in court, and provides strategic advice tailored to your specific circumstances.
For parents who can't afford full representation, many Queensland family lawyers offer "unbundled" services — you pay for specific tasks (document review, limited court appearances, written advice on a single issue) rather than full retainer engagement. This approach pairs well with doing the bulk of the work yourself using a guide and FDR, then engaging a lawyer for targeted review.
Where it falls short: Cost is the primary barrier. Initial consultations alone typically run $380. A contested parenting matter that reaches a final hearing can cost $50,000–$200,000+ in total legal fees.
Which Alternative Fits Your Situation?
You and your ex agree on most things but amica's templates are too basic → Custody guide + FRC mediation to finalise the details.
You need faster mediation than the FRC waitlist allows → Private mediator + guide for preparation and documentation.
You've already agreed but want enforceable orders → Custody guide for self-filing Consent Orders (cheapest) or an online Consent Orders service (more convenient).
Your ex is difficult but not dangerous → Custody guide with parallel parenting strategies + FRC mediation with shuttle mediation option.
Family violence is involved or your ex won't engage → Lawyer, starting with a Legal Aid Queensland advice appointment if cost is a barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use amica and a custody guide together?
Yes, and it's a practical combination. Use amica for the initial property division (its strongest feature), then use a custody guide for the parenting arrangements where amica's templates are too limited. The guide's worksheets — weekly schedule planner, holiday allocator, changeover log — produce more detailed arrangements than amica's parenting plan output.
What happened to Divvito as an alternative?
Divvito, a co-parenting platform that offered scheduling, communication, and expense tracking, closed permanently on 22 July 2026. Parents previously using Divvito need to transition their records to another system. OurFamilyWizard ($110–$396/year per parent) and AppClose ($8.99/month) are the remaining co-parenting apps, but they solve a different problem — ongoing management, not initial arrangement creation.
Do I still need a Section 60I certificate if I use an alternative to amica?
The Section 60I certificate is only required if you're filing a court application for parenting orders. It's not required for creating a parenting plan (which is a private agreement) or for filing Consent Orders (which the court processes as an agreed application). If your matter might end up in court, complete FDR at a Family Relationship Centre or with a private mediator to obtain the certificate. amica does not provide Section 60I certificates.
Is a parenting plan from a guide as legally valid as one from amica?
Yes. The legal validity of a parenting plan depends solely on meeting the Section 63C requirements: in writing, signed and dated by both parents, entered voluntarily. The source of the document — amica, a guide, a lawyer, or a blank piece of paper — doesn't affect its legal status. What matters is the quality of the clauses, the specificity of the arrangements, and whether it addresses all the areas the court considers important.
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