Children

children law mattersWe are very aware that your main concern, if you are experiencing problems within your relationship, is often your children.

Assisting parents whose relationships have ended in finding practical workable solutions in disputes over their children is vital.

When you divorce or separate, you still remain parents, it is important that you make a positive difference, helping your children to adjust to a new situation.

We are experienced in dealing with a wide range of issues relating to children and recognise the need to deal with them sensitively.
The law is based on the rights of the child rather than the rights of parents.

When relationships break down, parents have to try to agree workable arrangements keeping the child’s best interests at the forefront of their minds, with a view to minimising the effect of the separation.

When deciding on some aspects of a child’s upbringing after separation often parents simply cannot agree.

It is better for any dispute about a child to be resolved voluntarily but sometimes it becomes necessary for issues to be determined by a Judge.
The types of Orders the court can make will vary depending on what the dispute is about:

  • a child arrangements order
  • a parental responsibility order
  • a prohibited steps order
  • a specific issue order
  • orders can also be made in relation to a child’s passport

 

Sometimes such applications have to be made in an emergency where We respond quickly dealing with excellence and experience in injunctions and other emergency applications.

If you think that your child may be at risk from being removed permanently from the jurisdiction then contact us urgently as an emergency prohibited steps order and ports alert can be put in place as protection.

 

CARE PROCEEDINGS – CHILDREN and SOCIAL SERVICES

We are pleased to announce that as from 1st April 2013 we have been granted a Legal Aid contract to enable us to provide services regarding care work.

Once social services are concerned about a child’s welfare they will look closely at that child or children’s situation and family life.   However, taking a child or children away from their parents should normally be the last step a local authority (known as social services) takes to make sure the child or children are safe and well cared for.   The social services should also offer help and assistance to the parents to see if this will assist them to keep a child safe.  A parent or parents should always be involved in decisions made about their child or children unless of course a Court has decided they should not.

The Children Act 1989 was introduced to simplify the law relating to children making it more consistent and flexible while focusing on the needs of the child or children.  The welfare of the child or children is the most important consideration and it can often feel to the parents that they are being pushed aside or treated unfairly, but the safety and protection of the child or children involved will usually be the first priority.  Where arrangements for the child or children cannot be agreed the Children Act enables any Local Authority to take protective measures for the child or children in their area.  The social services have a statutory duty of care towards these children.

The main Orders within care proceedings are:

  • Emergency Protection Orders.
  • Care Orders.
  • Interim Care Orders.
  • Supervision Orders.
  • Interim Supervision Orders.
  • Child Assessment Orders.

Some meetings and procedures may take place without court proceedings such as Child Protection Conferences, Core Groups and Pre-Proceedings (known as Letter before Action Meetings).

Police Protection Orders can occur without proceedings in place but they can only last for 72 hours.

If you are concerned about any of these issues please do not hesitate to contact this firm.

 

To book a no-obligation, confidential, free initial consultation, or find out more information about how we can help you please

telephone us on phone-grey 01273 205 805

email us   envelope-grey  [email protected]

or if you prefer arrange a callback

(Out of office appointments available by prior arrangement)