Who to Call During Separation — Help for Men in Australia

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This is general information, not legal or financial advice. We're not lawyers. It's a plain-English map of how things work in Australia, so you know what to ask. For your situation, talk to a family lawyer, Legal Aid in your state, or the Family Relationship Advice Line on 1800 050 321. If you or your children are unsafe, call 000.

Right now

If anyone is in danger, call 000.

If you're not okay tonight: MensLine 1300 78 99 78 or Lifeline 13 11 14. Both are free and open 24/7. You don't need to be in crisis to call. "I'm not coping and I don't know what to do" is exactly what they're for.

Most men going through separation don't call anyone. They white-knuckle it, then call a lawyer when it's already a fight. This page is the other way round: the people to call early, while things are still fixable. Most of them are free.

On this page

Someone to talk to, tonight
Sorting out the kids without court
Free and cheap legal help, by state
Child support and Centrelink
Family violence: getting help, or getting help to stop
Other blokes who've been there

Someone to talk to, tonight.

Separation is one of the highest-risk times in a man's life. That isn't a scare line; it's why these services exist. Call before it gets bad, not after.

MensLine Australia

1300 78 99 78 · Built for men. Counsellors who get relationship breakdown, access to kids, anger, and not sleeping. 24/7 by phone, online chat or video.

mensline.org.au

Lifeline

13 11 14 · Crisis support, 24/7. You can also text 0477 13 11 14.

lifeline.org.au

Suicide Call Back Service

1300 659 467 · Free professional counselling, 24/7, for anyone 18+ who is thinking about suicide, or worried about someone who is.

suicidecallbackservice.org.au

Beyond Blue

1300 22 4636 · Short-term counselling for anxiety and depression, 24/7, plus web chat.

beyondblue.org.au

13YARN

13 92 76 · Crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis supporters. 24/7.

13yarn.org.au

Sorting out the kids without court.

Before either of you can ask a court for parenting orders, you usually have to try Family Dispute Resolution (mediation) first. These are the places that run it, and most start free or cheap. How to prepare for mediation →

Family Relationship Advice Line

1800 050 321 · The front door. Free information and referrals, including to mediation and legal services, and phone-based mediation. Mon–Fri 8am–8pm, Sat 10am–4pm. It doesn't give legal advice.

familyrelationships.gov.au

Family Relationship Centres

Government-funded centres across Australia. Information, individual sessions and up to the first hour of joint mediation are free. If your income is $50,000 or more, the second and third hours are $30 an hour.

Find your nearest centre

Relationships Australia

1300 364 277 · Counselling, mediation, parenting-after-separation courses. The number connects you to your nearest office.

relationships.org.au

Kids Helpline

1800 55 1800 · For your kids, not you: free, private counselling for 5 to 25 year olds, 24/7. Worth them knowing the number.

kidshelpline.com.au

Free and cheap legal help, by state.

You don't need an expensive private lawyer just to find out where you stand. Legal Aid gives free legal information and referrals to anyone, and free advice or representation if you qualify. Community Legal Centres are free too. Start here, then decide if you need a private family lawyer. What to know before you talk to a lawyer →

State	Service	Phone
NSW	LawAccess NSW / Legal Aid NSW	1300 888 529
VIC	Victoria Legal Aid	1300 792 387
QLD	Legal Aid Queensland	1300 65 11 88
WA	Legal Aid WA Infoline	1300 650 579
SA	Legal Services Commission SA	1300 366 424
TAS	Tasmania Legal Aid	1300 366 611
ACT	Legal Aid ACT	1300 654 314
NT	Legal Aid NT	1800 019 343

For the court itself (forms, fees, how divorce and consent orders are filed), the official source is the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. It's all public, and the forms are free to download.

Child support and Centrelink.

Child support is run by Services Australia, not the court. You can get an estimate online in ten minutes, before anyone argues about a number. How child support and property actually work →

Child Support (Services Australia)

131 272 · Assessments, payments, changes in care. Mon–Fri 8:30am–4:45pm. Tell them quickly when care arrangements change, or you can end up with a debt.

servicesaustralia.gov.au/child-support

Child support estimator

The official calculator. Uses both parents' incomes and how many nights each of you has the kids.

Run the estimator

Families line (Centrelink)

136 150 · Family Tax Benefit, Parenting Payment, Rent Assistance. If you have the kids 35% of the time or more, check what you're eligible for.

servicesaustralia.gov.au

Family violence: getting help, or getting help to stop.

Straight talk: separation is when things are most likely to boil over, on either side. If you're being hurt, controlled or threatened, there's help for men too. If you're the one scaring your family, or you're worried you might, there's a line for that, and calling it is the strongest thing you can do for your kids.

1800RESPECT

1800 737 732 · National domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, 24/7. Supports men as well as women. Text 0458 737 732.

1800respect.org.au

Men's Referral Service (No to Violence)

1300 766 491 · For men who want to stop using violence or controlling behaviour, and for people worried about a man in their life. 24/7.

ntv.org.au

Other blokes who've been there.

A counsellor helps. So does sitting with men who were where you are two years ago and are okay now.

Dads in Distress (Parents Beyond Breakup)

1300 853 437 · Peer support groups and a helpline for separated parents, run by people who've lived it.

parentsbeyondbreakup.com

Men's Sheds

1300 550 009 · Not a support group, which is the point. Somewhere to go on a Saturday, work with your hands, and be around other men.

Find a shed near you

BetterDads conversations

Over 250 filmed conversations with Australian men about divorce, court, getting back up and staying in their kids' lives.

Browse the archive

The Separation Series

Five short guides for the hardest stretch.

The Separation Series. Guide 1 lands tonight, then one a week: the first weeks, the long middle, the rebuild, the traps to avoid, and what your children need from you.

No spam. Unsubscribe any time. Written by a man who's been through it.

Done. Guide 1 is on its way. Check your inbox (and your junk folder, just in case).

Questions men ask.

Who should I call first when I separate?

If you're not okay, MensLine (1300 78 99 78). For the practical side, the Family Relationship Advice Line (1800 050 321). It's free, and it'll point you to mediation, counselling and legal help near you.

Can I get free legal advice about separation in Australia?

Yes. Legal Aid in every state and territory gives free legal information and referrals, and free advice to people who qualify. Community Legal Centres are free too. The numbers for each state are in the table above.

Is there support specifically for men going through separation?

Yes. MensLine Australia is built for men and runs 24/7. Dads in Distress (part of Parents Beyond Breakup, 1300 853 437) runs peer support groups for separated parents. Men's Sheds are a good place to be around other men without it being "a support group".

Reminder: This page is general information about separation in Australia, checked against official sources in September 2026. Laws, fees and payment rates change. It is not legal, financial or tax advice and doesn't create a client relationship. For advice on your situation, see a family lawyer, Legal Aid, or a financial adviser.