Child Arrangements
At Wards Solicitors, our family lawyers are experienced in providing practical and supportive advice and will help you identify and prioritise the issues.
It can be hard to reach agreement about arrangements for children. Parents will be experiencing strong emotions and it is likely to be a period of significant change for everyone.
We will help you find the right outcome for you and your child, giving you the advice and support you need to reduce conflict and reach agreement.
At Wards, our team of divorce solicitors have many years of experience working with families, helping to protect their interests and those of their loved ones when going through a marriage or relationship breakdown. We work to make things as straightforward and stress-free as possible.
Call us on 0117 929 2811 to arrange a 30 minute initial consultation, or use the green form on this page, so our family team can discuss your situation with you and help you understand your legal options.
Making arrangements for children during divorce
Issues that can be included in an agreement over arrangements for children include:
- Where they live
- How much time they will spend with each parent
- Child maintenance
When parents can’t agree
As a last resort, if agreement is not possible, we can advise you about making an application to court or responding to a court application for a child arrangements order.
We will advise and support you through the court process, during which it may still be possible to reach agreement without the court having to decide.
Alternatively, mediation and collaboration are non court processes which can help parents make decisions about child arrangements, tailored to their family needs.
Mediation can help to keep conflict to a minimum, reducing stress and making it easier to maintain a positive relationship with your ex-partner. Our lawyers can make referrals to a trained divorce mediator and advise during the mediation process.
At Wards, we have trained collaborative lawyers who support separating couples in a productive, non-confrontational way.
Making parental decisions after separation and divorce
During childhood, parents have to make many decisions about their child’s upbringing, and trying to agree can be especially hard when you are no longer a couple. Big decisions, for example where a child goes to school, or medical treatment, a child’s surname, religion, or whether a parent moves to a different city or even a different country, can be difficult to agree on.
We will advise and support you to reach agreement if possible, or help you obtain an order from court. In some situations, this can be done urgently.
"Alison Bradley was fantastic throughout my case. I found her friendly, professional and she advised me appropriately when the other side were being difficult. I would therefore recommend Alison to friends, family/work colleagues."
"The support I received from Louise was invaluable. Her performance in court was excellent and I felt she represented me and my case to the highest standard."
"I will always appreciate Sylvie Feltham's advice, support and understanding at a very traumatic time in my life. Thank you."
"Without doubt truly satisfied. Could not have wished for anyone else to represent me. Amy was a saint - fantastic."
"Jessica Williams was attentive and professional at all times. Also realistic and worked in my best interests."
Grandparents
Separation and divorce can result in grandparents losing contact with their grandchildren even in cases where there was previously a close relationship. Our family team can advise you about the options available to you to maintain or restore relationships without court proceedings, but if necessary, advise you about action you may be able to take through the court.