In 2004 the Attorney-General’s Department, Family Law Pathways Advisory Group, published A new approach to the family law system: Implementation of reforms - discussion paper. This proposed reforms based on the 2003 House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Community Affairs inquiry into child custody arrangements when families separated. Reforms were proposed to address the needs of families before, during and after separation. In particular it proposed the establishment of Family Relationship Centres in the hope of providing conflict resolution for families which avoided the adversarial path.
The Family Relationship Centres were designed for a broader population than those facing family dissolution. The hope was to assist parents to prevent relationship breakdown, support separating parents and grandparents with parenting arrangements and child support issues, and provides advice and mediation services. They were designed to be “a source of information and confidential advice for families at all stages in their lives. Whether you are starting a relationship, wanting to make your relationship stronger, or having relationship difficulties, the Centres can help.”

Sixty –five centres have been established throughout Australia, the first opening in 2006 and others following in 2007 and 2008. While funded by the government the Centres are operated by family relationships services providers, including Relationships Australia and Catholic Social Services. 

With the new centres also comes specialist training in the form of The Vocational Graduate Diploma in Relationship Counseling, a practical competency based graduate course within the Vocational, Education and Training (VET) sector. The course aims to teach practical, demonstrable skills in working with children, young people and their families’ at the most stressful and distressing times in life. It is suitable for social workers, counselors, teachers, medical practitioners, psychologists, health and community workers and especially those interested in positions within the Family Relationship Centres.