Child Arrangements
When a relationship breaks down and there are children involved, your main concern will be to protect their wellbeing. Throughout all the practical considerations during a separation or a divorce, we never lose sight of the fact that your children’s physical and emotional wellbeing comes first.
Our solicitors are highly experienced in helping parents and families make arrangements for children following the breakdown of a relationship. We’ll make sure that everyone involved understands their legal rights and responsibilities whilst ensuring that the views of you and your children are heard.
There are a number of ways that children matters can be resolved, which include Court Proceedings, Mediation, Negotiation and Collaborative Law. You will find the alternatives to the court process are much quicker and more often deliver the outcome that suits everyone as the decisions are made by you, not the Courts.
If you do opt for Court Proceedings, the Court has the power to make the following orders regarding children:
- A residence order, which is made in circumstances where parents do not agree who the children should live with.
- Shared residence order, which is made where it is likely to be in the child’s best interests to have a living arrangement shared between the parents.
- A contact order, which is where the parents cannot agree when and where contact should take place, this order will resolve how often and for how long a child should have contact with the parent he or she does not live with.
