The trauma for those involved in family breakdown can be exacerbated when parents are in conflict over access to their children. The author discusses new solutions for difficult contact cases including those proposed by the Australian Law Reform Commission in its paper, 'For the sake of the children'. The article begins with an overview of the background to this issue looking at the parent-child contact. Before looking at some of the alternatives for intervention in difficult cases being tried by the Family Court of Australia, the author reports on some of the pressures for change. They concern: including children in the decision making process in view of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Australian Law Reform Commission's research findings into difficult contact cases. Next, the Family Court's search for solutions to difficult cases are discussed. They include: dispute resolution other than through litigation, a proposed single Primary Dispute Resolution service, and two pilot intervention programs - the Co-Parenting Program and the Family Conciliation Group Program. Finally the author describes a program operating in California where persons known as Special Masters adjudicate and/or mediate difficult contact cases.