All Posts

When a case about children is taken to the family court, the magistrates or judge have to make decisions about what to do in the best interests of your children. To do this, the court is required to consider the welfare checklist, which is set out at Section 1 of the Children Act 1989. The welfare checklist includes the following: The child’s wishes and feelings (considered in light of their age and understanding). ·       The court will consider the ascertainable wishes and

If you and your ex are having difficulty reaching an agreement about a specific matter affecting your child, you can try to reach a resolution in various ways.  For example, mediation (see my previous blog for more information), joint counselling, or speaking to a lawyer can help. If things reach a stalemate, the family court can intervene by making a Specific Issue Order (SIO) under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989. Commons reasons to apply for an SIO include: Education: D

If you and your ex agree about where your children will live, how often and when they will spend time with their non-resident parent, you do not have to complete any official paperwork. However, many separated couples find it helpful to write down what has been agreed in a Parenting Plan, so that the agreement they have come to is recorded clearly.

Resources for people who have experienced or are experiencing domestic abuse.