Child disputes
Child disputes and child arrangement orders allow for you and your spouse to have a thought out, structured, and negotiated agreement on how best to bring up your children. It will provide a sense of clarity for yourselves, as well as your children, and give them a structure that they can adapt and live by, something that is vital to child development and in ensuring that their needs are met.
In any agreement involving child arrangements whether mediated out of court, which courts require that all separating couples attempt in the first instance to bring about a tailored solution that is most appropriate to your needs and particular circumstances, or settled in court, the needs and well-being of the child is paramount and provisions will be made in three areas: living arrangements, contact with each parent, and child maintenance.
As children are involved, and in many cases they are neutral in terms of the divorce, it is important to look to mediation and positive collaboration based on good faith when it comes to sorting child arrangements. You should also look to reassure your child that it’s not their fault, ensuring they feel cared for and understood, and not attack the other parent in front of them so as not to alienate them.
If you feel that it would be unsafe to leave your children with the other parent for any reason, or you fear they will relocate with your child, or prevent you from seeing your child, then you should seek court action to decide on child arrangements, including specific issue orders, where the court can rule over particular issues about a child’s upbringing that divorced parents are deadlocked on, or a prohibited steps order which will prevent a parent from undertaking particular events or travel without permission from the other side.
Our family law team in Birmingham understands that divorce is a confusing time for you, and therefore there is a real need to keep things clear and to keep you in control of what’s happening.
With that in mind we offer clients:
- a free half-hour consultation over the phone, to discuss any and all queries you may have before starting;
- fixed-fee services, with clear guidance on what divorce law services you are paying for;
- a number of guides with advice on handling divorce, including mediation, the legal process, and non-legal topics such as handling the topic around your children, and how to look ahead to the future.
