Orders relating to children are now collectively known as Child Arrangement Orders.
Clients frequently seek our advice on issues like Parental Responsibility, who has it and what it covers, namely:
Another common area of dispute between parents is around contact with children and their residence. We can advise you on how to get a Child Arrangements Order for contact requiring the person with whom the child lives to allow the child to visit or stay with you. A Child Arrangements Order for Residence is an order which regulates where a child is to live. Such an order means that by law the child is to live with you but does not affect parental responsibility. Most other matters relating to the child’s upbringing depend upon who has parental responsibility. Often courts will consider it best for the parents to share the residence of children by way of orders that stipulate the time to be spent with each parent. There can be complexity, significant concern and dispute between parents on these issues, which require sensitive and realistic advice from experts in this area at the earliest opportunity, to ensure that proper arrangements which best meet the children’s needs are established from the outset.
Parents also require advice on specific issues pertaining to certain aspects of the child’s upbringing, for example which school a child is to attend or whether a type of medical treatment is suitable for the child. It may be necessary for orders to be made dealing with these issues, if the parents cannot agree. Parents may also wish to know if they can change a child’s name or take them out of the country for holidays. Our specialist team can assist you with all these issues and will expertly guide you through the process avoiding court proceedings wherever possible.