---
title: "Dispute resolution conference preparation checklist for a parent’s or child’s lawyer (NSW Children’s Court)"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/precedents/child-protection-and-care-proceedings/dispute-resolution-conference-preparation-checklist"
type: "precedent"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "a52-dispute-resolution-conference-preparation-checklist"
area_id: "A52"
kind: "checklist"
ai_level: "yellow"
version: 1
task_ids: ["A52-X20260927-2", "A52-X20260927-5", "A52-X20260927-9"]
law_stated_as_at: "2026-10-18"
---

# Dispute resolution conference preparation checklist for a parent’s or child’s lawyer (NSW Children’s Court)

> Checklist to prepare for a Children’s Registrar dispute resolution conference under s 65: instructions and authority to settle, filed and subpoenaed material, attendees and notice, the issues, proposed orders,…

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/precedents/child-protection-and-care-proceedings/dispute-resolution-conference-preparation-checklist  
Law stated as at: 2026-10-18

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

Checklist to prepare for a Children’s Registrar dispute resolution conference under s 65: instructions and authority to settle, filed and subpoenaed material, attendees and notice, the issues, proposed orders, confidentiality and the post-conference steps.

## Key facts

- Kind: Checklist. Steps or checks to work through and tick off.
- Practice area: [Child Protection & Care Proceedings](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/child-protection-and-care-proceedings.md)
- Jurisdictions: New South Wales
- AI level: Yellow. AI can help in set ways. A lawyer checks specific points before use.
- Law stated as at: 2026-10-18
- Status: Maintained. Checked on 2026-10-18 against the 4 authorities it cites, for New South Wales.

## When to use it

Use when a care application in the Children’s Court of NSW has been listed for a dispute resolution conference under s 65, or the court has referred the parties to external ADR under s 65A. It suits the parent’s lawyer and, adapted, the child’s legal representative.

## Used for these tasks

- [Test the department's grounds and particulars against its own record](https://ailawframework.com/practice/child-protection-and-care-proceedings.md#A52-X20260927-2)
- [Test the care plan or case plan against the statutory requirements](https://ailawframework.com/practice/child-protection-and-care-proceedings.md#A52-X20260927-5)
- [Build the kinship and placement options table against the placement principles](https://ailawframework.com/practice/child-protection-and-care-proceedings.md#A52-X20260927-9)

## How AI may be used

AI may index the filed and subpoenaed material and list issues for the lawyer to test; the lawyer takes instructions, settles the position and agrees any orders.

**AI may:**

- Index the filed and subpoenaed material, with dates and authors, so the lawyer can confirm everything has been read
- List the allegations in the care application and the documents said to support each one, for the lawyer to test
- Turn the lawyer’s agreed positions into a draft table of proposed orders for the lawyer to settle

**AI must not:**

- Must not take or record the client’s instructions or authority to settle
- Must not prepare any statement of the child’s views
- Must not process what is said at the conference: it is confidential under Chapter 15A
- Must not be used with departmental records in a tool outside the firm’s approved environment

**The lawyer checks:**

- Instructions were updated before the conference and the authority to settle is recorded and signed (PN 3 para 8.1)
- All filing directions have been complied with and every filed and relevant subpoenaed document has been read
- Reasonable notice has been given to the Registrar and the parties of any support person, kinship member, carer or expert who is to attend (PN 3 para 4.3)
- Any proposed consent orders are within power and the client understands the court may still decline to make them

## Authorities

- [Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW) s 65 (dispute resolution conferences), s 65A (referral to ADR)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1998-157)
- [Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW) Chapter 15A, ss 244A to 244C (protection and confidentiality of information disclosed in ADR)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1998-157)
- [Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW) s 10 (principle of participation)](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1998-157)
- [Children’s Court of NSW, Practice Note No 3, Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedures in the Children’s Court (amended 11 November 2015), paras 4 to 9, 14 to 16, 18](https://childrenscourt.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/dcj/ctsd/childrenscourt/documents/practice-notes/Amended%20PN%203%20Nov%202015.pdf)

## Full text and drafting notes

The full text and the drafting notes are not part of this public page. Signed-in firm accounts can read them at https://ailawframework.com/precedents/child-protection-and-care-proceedings/dispute-resolution-conference-preparation-checklist and through the signed-in MCP connector https://ailawframework.com/mcp/firm.

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*