FDR Supervisors Panel Information and Application Form
Join Mediation Institutes FDR Supervisors Panel – for supervisors who can provide work placement, peer supervision or Post-Complaint Supervision
Mi FDRP Supervision and Support Panel
FDR Supervisors Supporting Development, Reflection and Ethical Practice.
The Mi FDRP Supervision & Support Panel provides structured supervision for Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners (FDRPs) at different stages of their professional journey. The panel operates across three distinct streams, each tailored to meet specific needs:
Internship Supervision – 50 hour Work Placement for Mi CHC81115 – Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution students
Professional Supervision – ongoing reflective practice for qualified FDRPs
Post-Complaint Supervision – Reflective and Restorative to support reflective practice and professional development following practice issues identified by a substantiated complaint
Panel Composition
To join the Mi FDRP Supervision Panel, supervisors must:
be currently registered on the Attorney-General’s FDR Register. Family Dispute Resolution Register – Attorney General’s Department
have 2+ years post-registration experience or equivalent relevant mediation / supervision experience with a professional reference to confirm your competence in the supervision role.
All panel members must maintain current professional indemnity insurance.
- Commit to ethical, supportive and learner-focused supervision practice.
Fees and Volunteering
Supervisors may offer services voluntarily or on a fee-for-service basis
Fees must be agreed upon before supervision commences
- If a fee is charged we encourage the use of a supervision agreement clearly outlining fees and expectations
Mi encourages a balance of community-minded support and fair professional remuneration
Why Join the Mi FDRP Supervision & Support Panel?
Becoming a panel supervisor offers a rewarding opportunity to contribute to the future of Family Dispute Resolution while growing your own professional practice.
Benefits for Supervisors
- Shape the Next Generation
Support new FDRPs as they build confidence and competence through real-world experience. - Expand Your Professional Profile
Position yourself as a leader in the sector and showcase your expertise in reflective supervision and ethical practice. - Contribute to Practice Standards
Be part of strengthening the FDR profession by supporting peers through supervision, including post-complaint remediation and reflective review. - Flexible Involvement
Offer supervision voluntarily or on a fee-for-service basis. Choose the types of supervision that align with your interests and capacity. - Connect with a National Network
Join a supportive community of experienced FDRPs committed to quality, integrity, and mutual learning. - Give Back to the Profession
Make a meaningful impact by guiding new and established practitioners in safe, ethical, and client-centred practice. - Benefit from Supervision Mentoring and PD opportunities
Stay up to date with Family Law and FDR Regulations changes with access to current training for your own PD and participate in group sessions building your supervision skills and knowledge.
Internship Supervision
Internships for FDR students are for 50 hours and require that the work with a minimum of 5 families.
They will have been assessed as competent in parenting pre-mediation, parenting mediation, property pre-mediation and property mediation before being eligible to commence their work placement, unless otherwise agreed.
Supervisors Responsibilities
Oversee student participation in client contact and co-mediated FDR sessions
Provide feedback on performance, ethics, and skill development
Ensure adherence to FDR principles, confidentiality, and client safety
Facilitate regular (pre-and post session) supervision meetings and reflective learning
Review and validated Student submissions on their progress, hours and reflections as required by the training provider, Mediation Institute.
Placement Activities May Include:
Observation of intake, screening, and mediation sessions
Participation in co-mediations
Assistance with client administrative work, client contact and session scheduling tasks
Post-session debriefing and structured reflection
Tasks such as documenting case notes, agreement writing, and risk analysis
Format and Delivery
One or two interns at a time is the maximum recommendation
Conducted online or in-person, depending on your practice style and availability
Mediation Institutes Role
- Providing the Student Placement Agreement to initiate the placement
- Matching of interns to supervisors through the provision of information.
- Insurance Coverage – all interns with a signed Internship Agreement in place are covered by Mediation Institute’s Professional Indemnity and Public Liability Insurance.
- Support for supervisors through a dedicated online group with monthly meetings.
- Recognition and CPD validation – Certificates confirming your hours of supervision provision for your FDR Professional Development Records
- Free Professional Development – access to the CHCFAM001 – Operate in a Family Law Environment course content to maintain currency.
NOTE: a fee of $500 would apply if you would like to complete the assessment and earn a Statement of Attainment for the unit. The standard fee for training and assessment for this unit is $1,500. CHCFAM001 – Operate in a family law environment -Essential Knowledge for FDRPs
Professional Supervision
Purpose
To support qualified FDRPs in maintaining ethical, competent, and reflective practice through ongoing professional supervision.
Key Objectives
Promote continuous professional development
Provide a space to explore ethical dilemmas and challenging cases
Prevent professional isolation, particularly for sole practitioners
Identify areas for upskilling and Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Supervision Features
Collaborative, reflective, and confidential
Case consultation and reflective dialogue
Ethical decision-making support
Monthly or quarterly sessions are recommended
- The option of on demand sessions is encouraged when challenging cases arise
Typically, supervisees are:
Sole practitioners
New FDRPs seeking early-career support
Practitioners in high-conflict or emotionally complex areas of practice
Anyone wanting to engage in voluntary professional supervision as part of best practice
Structure
1:1 or small group supervision
Flexible delivery: online or face-to-face
Agreed upon supervision goals and review points
Post Complaint Supervision
Purpose
To provide structured, supportive supervision for FDRPs who have been the subject of a substantiated complaint or formal concern. This stream focuses on learning, insight, and professional restoration, not punishment.
Supervision Goals
Facilitate reflective learning following a complaint
Restore practitioner confidence and client safety
Address ethical, procedural, or interpersonal issues identified in the concern
Support compliance with the Family Law (Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners) Regulations 2025
May Include:
Review of de-identified client files or session recordings (with consent)
Focused supervision on specific themes e.g. neutrality, boundary setting
Development of a tailored Remedial Supervision Plan
Progress reports (only with informed consent)
Referral Pathways
May be self-initiated, or referred by:
Mediation Institute
Other FDR Complaint Handling Services
Employers or regulatory bodies
Consent is required for information sharing if third parties are involved
Supervisor Role
Provide a safe space for reflection and professional growth
Support ethical alignment and restoration of practice standards
Help develop an action plan with clear supervision outcomes
Application and Referral Process
Applications to join the panel or request supervision are via Microsoft Forms
You may be asked to provide relevant documents (e.g. CV, referee statement)
Referrals must include:
Supervision stream requested
Context and focus areas
Contact and consent information
Does Mi supply the clients?
No but we’ll increase your profile by giving you a listing on our Immediation Panel as an FDRP and Supervisor.
Do I need supervision qualifications?
We do not require supervision qualifications; however, we will be providing support and guidance regarding ethical and practical considerations as a supervisor.
What happens in Professional Supervision?
Sessions may include case consultation, ethical reflections, discussion of challenges and support for professional development goals. Sessions are confidential unless risk or misconduct is disclosed. The supervisor can even be invited to co-mediate on cases with their supervisee.
Does Mediation Institute collect a fee to be on the panel?
No. We are coordinating the panel and offering free PD for panel members as part of our commitment to the sector and in support of our FDR students and members.
Got additional questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Who covers Insurance?
- Mediation Institute covers Professional Indemnity and Public Liability for interns who are Mediation Institute students once a Work Placement Agreement is in place.
- The Supervising FDRP will have their own insurance as required by their registration as a FDRP and do not need any additional cover if they are working with a Mediation Institute Student Intern.
- If they are a student of another organisation or a graduated mediator, check with them that they have cover and/or the requirements to put insurance cover in place.
What is my role as a supervisor for an FDR student?
You are responsible for:
Providing structured supervision and professional guidance
Allowing the student to observe and (where appropriate) co-mediate with you
Supporting the student to reflect on their learning and develop professional judgement
Confirming their participation in core activities using workplace logs or assessment forms
You are not expected to assess academic competency—Mediation Institute handles formal assessment.
What is the minimum qualification I must hold to supervise a student?
You must:
Be currently registered as a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner on the AGD Register
Have at least 12 months post-registration experience OR demonstrate significant FDR experience with a reference
Hold current professional indemnity insurance
Ideally be available to engage in a minimum of three supervision conversations during placement (this may vary if multiple FDRPs are providing supervision in a workplace) In that case a “Lead” supervisor may be delegated.
What kind of work will the student be doing?
Students will:
Observe and co-facilitate pre-mediation intake and assessment sessions
Participate in parenting and/or property mediations, including shuttle or online formats
Conduct risk assessments and safety planning using tools like DOORS
Make supported referrals and engage in ethical decision-making about FDR suitability
To successfully completed their work placement they must work with at least 5 different families and complete a minimum of 50 hours. In practice we’ve found this normally results in working with between 5 and 10 families.
What if the student is my employee or a volunteer?
That’s perfectly acceptable.
If the student is already working in your organisation, you may supervise their placement provided the required conditions are met (see above).
Any supervision hours must also align with their student learning goals, not just job duties.
Do I need to let clients know that a student is present?
Yes.
You must:
Seek informed consent from clients before allowing a student to observe or participate in their case
Ensure clients are told the student is in training and under supervision
Respect a client’s right to decline a student’s involvement without pressure or consequence however it is reasonable take an “opt out” rather than “opt in” approach.
- Use an Agreement to Mediate or similar document to protect the confidentiality and inadmissibility of the process
- Never allow an assumption that a student is a registered FDRP go uncorrected – refer to the Family Law (Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners) Regulations 2025 for their obligations in this regard. AG Department’s Guidance
How do I give feedback and sign off on their work?
You may be asked to:
Initial or sign a workplace log confirming tasks observed
Provide short comments or a verbal review during supervision
You may be asked to sign an overall workplace evidence form or workplace evidence forms for specific processes that confirms the student has demonstrated safe and ethical practice
Mediation Institute provides templates and will guide you through this process.
What if I have concerns about the student’s performance or behaviour?
Please implement standard safety protocols if you have safety concerns (for the student, client or others)
Contact Mediation Institute if you feel that:
The student demonstrates behaviour that is unprofessional or unsafe
You are unsure how to address a supervision or ethical issue
We will support you in resolving the situation or offer alternative arrangements.
Contact our office and you will be directed to the appropriate person for a confidential discussion about your concerns. Contacts
Is supervision Paid or Voluntary?
Supervision may be voluntary or paid, depending on your arrangement with the student and your availability.
We encourage an unpaid mentoring approach to give back to the future generation, but you are welcome to charge a fee if feel that is appropriate for providing you oversight and supervision.
This should be discussed with the student up front and we encourage you to use a supervision agreement clearly outlining fees and expectations.
Where can I get more information or tools to help?
Please get in touch if you have any other questions using the link above.
We host a collaboration and information sharing site for FDR supervisors on our network https://network.mediationinstitute.edu.au that you will be invited to join if you complete a supervision agreement with a Mediation Institute student.
