In this paper, we look at the specific issues facing those responsible for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children in the context of parental separation, and the two separate legal systems: family law and child protection. There is a range of ways in which state-based child protection systems intersect with the federal family law system, with some gaps and some areas of overlap. Recent research—as well as reports from national inquiries—highlights the lack of clarity regarding responsibilities and how families and professionals navigate within and between the systems.