Children

Children

One of the most emotive issues following a separation is determining what will happen with the children of the relationship.

We advise clients on

• Residence and Contact - where do the children live and when does the non-resident parent have contact with them
• Child Maintenance - arranging funding for the children
• Other issues, relating to how the children are brought up and where they are to live
• Grandparents' rights, where a separation has meant that grandparents are being denied contact with their grandchildren

Before an application can be made to the court for an order in respect of a child, the applicant must attend a Mediation and Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM). This is something we help you to arrange. The court has powers to refer the matter back to mediation if it feels that it is a more appropriate way of resolving the issues rather than through the court. Mediation is a way for parties in family disputes to reach a solution without going to court.

We encourage parents to work together and find consensus, either by negotiation or through mediation. However, if agreement cannot be reached, we can guide you through the court process to ensure that arrangements can be made in the best interests of the children.