Do You Need a Child Travel Consent Form?
If you share parental responsibility for your child with someone else, such as your former partner, you may need to ensure that you have their consent before you take your child away, both to avoid legal issues and family tensions. In some cases, you may need written confirmation of this permission in the form of […]
How to Complete C100 Form
Where parents are separating, there can often be disagreement as to the custody or contact arrangements for their children. In these cases, a formal application may need to be made to the court by one parent for a Child Arrangement Order using Form C100. The following article to the C100 form looks at the nature […]
Child Arrangement Order: Essential Guidance
A child arrangement order is a court order stipulating who has primary care of the child(ren), and the nature of any contact with the non-resident parent or wider family members. It is not uncommon for divorcing or separating parents to struggle to reach an agreement about child custody or contact, especially if the separation has […]
Grandparents’ Rights to Contact with Grandchildren
The role of a grandparent has become increasingly important in modern family life. When a family dispute comes in the way of that relationship, do grandparents have any rights to protect access to their grandchildren? Do grandparents have the right to see their grandchildren? The current legal positioning England and Wales is that only people with […]
Prohibited Steps Order Guide
If you have serious concerns about decisions being made in relation to your child’s upbringing, you may be able to apply for a Prohibited Steps Order (PSO). What is a Prohibited Steps Order? A Prohibited Steps Order is used to prevent someone from exercising their parental responsibility and taking specific action regarding a child. Under […]
Who Gets Custody of Child in a Divorce?
There are a number of factors to take into consideration when determining who will get custody of a child in a divorce. The biggest factor will be what is best for the child. How that is determined is dependent upon the parent’s current situation. It’s important to stress that ‘custody’ as a legal term and […]
Child Custody Rights & Making Child Arrangements
In this guide for parents, we explain the law on child custody and how to deal with child arrangements and residency issues. We also answer frequently asked questions to help you understand your child custody rights. What is child custody? Child custody, or residency, is dealt with by the family courts under child arrangements orders. […]
What are Parental Rights for Fathers?
Parental rights for fathers are determined largely by whether the individual has ‘parental responsibility’. Parental responsibility is not always an automatic right for fathers, and without it, a father’s legal rights in relation a child may be limited. What is parental responsibility? With parental responsibility, you can make decisions about the child’s upbringing and care, […]
16 Year Old Rights Against Parents
Turning 16 means you attain some new rights against your parents and that you now get to have a say in some decisions that directly affect you. Given your age, the courts will also typically take into account your wishes and feelings when it comes to certain issues, such as child contact arrangements. You are, however, […]
Separated Parents’ Holiday Rights
If you’re a separated parent, do you know if you can you take your child on holiday and do you need your ex’s consent? What does the law say about separated parents’ holiday rights in the UK? In the UK, all mothers and many fathers have legal rights and responsibilities as a parent. These rights […]
How Does Domestic Violence Affect Child Custody?
When there have been instances of domestic violence, this further complicates the issue of child custody between separating parents. It becomes even more challenging to decide on the issue of child custody as the focus needs to be not only on the safety of the child, but also on the safety of the parent who […]
Making a Joint Custody Agreement
Joint custody, or joint residency as it is referred to in the UK Children’s Act 1989, is a legal decision regarding where the child or children of separated couples will live. Joint custody does not necessarily indicate a 50/50 split for the parents, it is simply that both parents have the child living with them […]
Child Arrangements Order Breach: Enforcing Your Rights
A breach of a child arrangements order is where one party has failed to comply with a condition specified in that order. This may be a relatively minor breach, or a culmination of breaches, for example, failing to adhere to set times for contact to take place. The breach may, however, be much more serious, […]
Paternity Test FAQs
There are a number of reasons why you may seek a paternity test, from a dispute over child maintenance to securing child contact through the courts. Whether you have decided to get a paternity test for peace of mind, or a test has been ordered by the Child Maintenance Service or the courts, this guide […]
How to Make an Application to Vary a Child Arrangement Order
While a child arrangement order is most commonly sought by one or both parents following a separation, there may be circumstances where the non-biological parent of a child, another relative or the child’s legal guardian may seek to change an existing order. This may be because one or both parents or legal guardians have passed […]
What is a Parental Responsibility Order?
Understanding what parental responsibility means and how to obtain a Parental Responsibility Order can be the first step in ensuring you have a say in important decisions about your child’s upbringing. What is parental responsibility? Parental responsibility is defined by section 3(1) of the Children Act 1989 as “all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and […]
What are Parental Rights?
Disputes can arise when separated parents disagree on what is best for their child, which is why it’s important to understand your rights as a parent. Having parental rights over a child enables you to make decisions as a parent and legally enforce those decisions. This is even more important when parents are not on […]
How Can a Father Get Custody of His Child?
Custody is now known as residence and refers to the arrangements as to where the child will live for some or all of their time. The courts encourage for residence to be settled with an informal agreement between the parents. If however an agreement cannot be reached or if an existing arrangement has been broken, […]
Can a Mother Stop a Father From Seeing Their Child?
10 minute read Last updated 16th August 2019 Can a Mother Stop a Father From Seeing Their Child? The welfare of the child is of the utmost importance in these situations. This article covers: When can contact be restricted? What can I do if my child’s mother stops me from seeing my child? What is […]
How Much is Child Maintenance?
The framework for assessing, collecting and enforcing child maintenance payments is set out in the Child Support Act 1991. Under the Act, both separated parents of a qualifying child are responsible for the financial cost of bringing up that child, provided the parent does not fall under one of the exemptions. Once it has been […]