Children & Care Proceedings
When a divorce or separation is contemplated your first concern will naturally be for your children. Decisions will need to be made about where they will live and how best to ensure that they benefit from ongoing contact with both parents.
You know your children best so we will encourage you where possible to maintain dialogue with your partner and to make agreed and constructive arrangements with them.
Disputes between parents can often arise when couples separate. You may disagree as to where the child should live, whether the child should see one of the parents and if so arrangements or specific issues such as the choice of schooling etc.
If you are unable to agree on the arrangements you may ask the Court to decide the matter for you. With our experience and expertise we will be able to guide you through this process and help you to achieve the future arrangements you feel will be best for the family.
The protection of children at risk of harm and the rights of parents are very difficult to balance. Indeed, this represents one of the most complex and emotive areas of family law.
We have considerable experience of representing parents undergoing the trauma of Social Services intervention and potential separation from their children. We can offer the important practical advice and support required in these cases, supplemented by expert knowledge of the law and legal procedures.
We can advise clients with regard to the various Orders which the Court can make including residence, contact, prohibited steps, specific issues and parental responsibility. We can advise other members of the family, e.g. grandparents as to their rights to contact with the child.
