About Parenting Matters
A people-first approach to family law dispute resolution
Ellie combines accredited mediation skills, adopts a transformative and facilitative approach with real-world experience, offering clarity and care that goes beyond what legal training alone can deliver.
Her approach is grounded in clear communication, firm boundaries and practical solutions that reduce conflict before it escalates. She believes in acting when there’s a spark, not a flame – saving families unnecessary legal costs, stress and irreparable conflict.
At Parenting Matters, Ellie works with families to:
- Build child-focused, workable co-parenting strategies.
- Improve communication between co-parents.
- Provide focus and confidence alongside your legal team.
- Offer a pragmatic alternative to drawn-out court disputes.
Experience that matters
Before specialising in family dispute resolution, Ellie spent 17+ years in workplace conflict, change management and employee relations, building a reputation for navigating highly charged, emotionally complex disputes.
She’s worked across bullying and harassment, escalated grievances and high-stakes workplace mediations, honing the skills she now brings to separated families: the ability to listen deeply, communicate clearly and move people forward in even the most acrimonious situations.
Ellie is a mother of two who has been co-parenting for over 10 years. She understands blended families not just in theory, but in practice. She knows first-hand that what comes after “final orders” is often the hardest part.
Her personal journey is also what drives her commitment to changing the way families experience divorce, and helping clients find stability in starting over.
Beyond Parenting Matters
Ellie co-develops school-based programs with
YOU CAN SIT WITH ME, supporting teachers and parents to normalise conversations about “two families, two homes” for children aged 6-12. These programs are currently being piloted in South Coast primary schools, with a rollout planned to more than 1,000 schools nationally by 2027.
This work keeps Ellie closely connected to how separation affects children beyond the home – in classrooms, playgrounds and peer groups – and strengthens the support she offers parents in her practice.
Recognised as a Tier 1 Prevention Program by the Australian Federal Government in the Rapid Review for Anti-Bullying in Primary Schools, nationally.
Principles that guide Parenting Matters
Ellie founded Parenting Matters on the following principles:
Solutions-focused
Proactive, pragmatic and professional.
Plain language
Realistic and practical strategies families can use.
Child-first
Every decision keeps kids’ wellbeing front and centre.
Collaborative
Working alongside lawyers and other professionals.
Early intervention
Addressing conflict while it’s a spark, not a flame.