Build your confidence in navigating the complex and evolving issues arising in Care of Children matters. This practical programme together with expert and experienced family law specialists you will tackle some of the most challenging issues - from family violence, coercive control and children’s participation to complex wardship, trauma-informed practice and child contact reluctance. Explore practical approaches to difficult COCA matters and strengthen your practice when working with children and families in complex and high-conflict cases.
Friday, 19 March 2027
9.00am to 10.00am Family Violence, Coercive Control, Litigation Abuse and Alternative Evidence – Reforms in 2026
- Recognising patterns of coercive control and litigation abuse in family law proceedings
- Examining changes to the law in 2026, including reforms to alternative evidence in Family Court proceedings
- Exploring how these developments may affect the way family violence cases are approached in the Family Court
Presented by Minka Boddé, Special Counsel – Family, and Ash Biggs, Solicitor, Aspiring Law
10.00am to 11.00am Child Contact Reluctance in COCA and Care & Protection Cases
Examine how contact reluctance is being addressed in Care of Children Act and Care and Protection proceedings, including:
- The weight given to the child’s views: how age, maturity, consistency, independence, and lived experience affect the court’s response to contact reluctance
- Identifying the cause of reluctance: distinguishing justified estrangement arising from violence, trauma or deficient parenting from parental influence, loyalty conflict or deliberate undermining
- Proportionate responses to resistance: whether contact should be supervised, staged, therapeutic, indirect, suspended or ceased and when compelled contact or a change of care may cause greater harm
- Safety, permanency and identity: particularly in care and protection cases, how contact supports or undermines safety, placement stability, reunification, sibling and whānau relationships, whakapapa and cultural identity
Presented by Rosa Bellolio Roth, Director, and Alex Meyer, Solicitor, Weston Ward & Lascelles
Learning Objectives:
- Examine recent developments affecting Care of Children practice, including family violence, coercive control and child participation
- Analyse complex guardianship and wardship issues under the Care of Children Act
- Review trauma-informed approaches to Care of Children matters
- Assess strategies for managing child contact reluctance in COCA and care and protection cases
- Evaluate reflective practice when working with challenging clients and culturally diverse families
Chair:
David Amodeo, Barrister, Albert Park Chambers
Description
Attend and earn 4 CPD Hours
11.00am to 11.15am Break
11.15am to 12.15pm When Wardship Is Already in Place: Practical Advocacy Under s 31 for Family Law Practitioners
- How to interpret s 31 wardship orders and the scope of the agent’s powers
- Identify what remains open to challenge, negotiation and advocacy
- Seeking urgent directions when disputes arise under existing wardship orders
- Navigating placement, contact, medical and therapeutic decision-making
- Managing agency involvement, information-sharing and procedural control
- Developing effective advocacy strategies within highly managed Family Court proceedings
Presented by Kristina Behan, Barrister, Huia Legal
12.15pm to 1.15pm Reflective Practice in Care of Children Matters: A Panel Conversation
- Managing difficult or aggressive clients
- Maintaining reflective practice in a changing multi-cultural and religious landscape
- A practitioners’ responsibility to recognise and respond appropriately to the parties’ cultural diversity
- How to use the Family Court Rules to deal with tricky matters
- Dealing with potentially unethical evidence and when to challenge what you are given by your client
Panellists
Minka Boddé, Special Counsel – Family, Aspiring Law
Rosa Bellolio Roth, Director, Weston Ward & Lascelles
Chris Fogarty, Partner, Cameron & Co
Presenters
Minka Boddé, Special Counsel – Family, Aspiring LawMinka is an experienced Family Law Specialist leading the Family Law team at Aspiring Law where her focus has become more in the area of Relationship Property work while remaining passionate about all matters affecting children experiencing separation. Beginning her career as a general litigation solicitor, she returned to specialise in family law in 2009 after spending 8 years raising her own children. Minka represents both parents and children in the Family Court, providing mediation privately or through FDR. She also works in conflict coaching for families going through separation. Minka is committed to helping families navigate the separation process to avoid as much conflict as possible, while achieving a safe outcome for the children.
David Amodeo, Barrister, Albert Park Chambers
David is a barrister who specialises and practises in all areas of relationship and family law, and has done so for over a quarter of a century. David represents a wide variety of clients, including individuals, families and organisations in situations and proceedings across the wide diversity of situations involving people and property that are encompassed within the relevant jurisdictions. Throughout his time in practise David has presented many seminars to lawyers and other professionals working within the area and continues his involvement in a variety of roles within professional associations working in Aotearoa.
Rosa Bellolio Roth, Director, Weston Ward & Lascelles
Rosa is an experienced family lawyer. She is highly respected and well-liked by her clients and colleagues. Rosa began her legal career in Chile where she was admitted in 2006. She moved to New Zealand where she completed her Masters in 2009 and in 2013 was admitted to the bar. Rosa continued her career by initially working as a registrar in the Family Court. Growing up in South America with Spanish as her first language she can also be of assistance to any Spanish speaking clients.
Alex Meyer, Solicitor, Weston Ward & Lascelles
Alex is a dedicated family law solicitor who focuses on achieving fair, workable outcomes through clear communication and efficient negotiation. Specialising in relationship property, care of children, guardianship, and family violence, he is committed to helping clients navigate challenging life circumstances with a steady hand. Whether resolving matters through settlement or representing clients in the Family Court, Alex aims to resolve disputes with minimal conflict, ensuring a pragmatic and cost-effective path forward for the families he represents.
Chris Fogarty, Partner, Cameron & Co
Chris has over 36 years of legal experience, with the majority of his experience focused on family matters. His key areas of work are lawyer for children, Hague Convention, relationship property, and estate litigation. He has been a court-appointed lawyer for children since 2007. Chris is appointed by the Family Court from time to time as a lawyer to assist with litigation files. He has been appointed as a litigation guardian on behalf of minor children in an estate dispute. Chris is also on the Hague Convention panel and has run private client Hague applications. Chris has a special interest in guardianship disputes, in particular those involving children moving between New Zealand and other countries. Chris has presented seminars locally and nationally. He believes that the vast majority of family disputes can be resolved by agreement but if not then the Court process should be used to the best advantage of your client and in the best interests of the children.
Kristina Behan, Barrister, Huia Legal
Kristina Behn is a Family Lawyer and Lead Legal Aid provider based on the North Shore, Auckland. She specialises in legal matters involving families and family violence and is approved by the Ministry of Justice to provide legal aid services. Her expertise lies in cases involving Oranga Tamariki. Prior to becoming a barrister, she was the Regional Legal Manager for South Auckland, giving her specialist knowledge and insight into the Oranga Tamariki Act and its complex legal processes. She has experience with cases involving wardship, expert psychological evidence, and psychological issues within families, including push-pull dynamics and psychological abuse. She has also worked on child abuse cases involving Fictitious Disorder (FD) and Fictitious Disorder by Proxy (Munchausen syndrome), as well as matters involving low IQ, serious parental addiction issues, diagnosed mental illness, and capacity issues. She provides high-level legal representation in cases involving uplift and advocates clearly for her clients regarding their child or children. She helps clients understand what is happening, ensures the process is lawful, minimises institutional neglect, and clarifies with social workers and the Judge what the process is for the return of their child. She acts in Care of Children Act matters, assisting parents or caregivers with parenting orders, day-to-day care arrangements, guardianship disputes such as whether a child should attend kura or mainstream schooling, paternity, and contact. Where family violence has occurred, she provides sensitive and timely support with protection orders and responding to protection orders. She is an experienced litigator in the District Courts, handling matters ranging from applications and first appearances through to hearings.
Ash Biggs, Solicitor, Aspiring Law
Ash grew up in the heart of the Queenstown Lakes District and, after heading to Wellington to study law, she’s now back where she feels most at home surrounded by the mountains, lakes, and people she loves. Practicing law in the region means she gets to do meaningful work while staying close to family, friends, and the landscapes that shaped her. Ash is passionate about family law and understands that behind every case is a real person navigating one of life's most challenging moments. She's committed to providing clear, compassionate guidance to help clients find the best path forward during difficult times. When she's not in the office, you'll find Ash hunting for treasures at op shops, curled up with a good book, or out exploring with her dog by her side.
