Child arrangements including contact, access and custody

Private Children Act proceedings

One of the most heartbreaking and traumatic things about separation and divorce is watching your children get caught up in the midst of everything when all you want to do is protect them from it.
There are many things to consider and it can be difficult to know what to do in order to cause the least amount of harm.

At the Worcester Family Law Practice, we will make sure that you are aware of all your options regarding  child arrangements and we will help you come to a solution that considers what is best for you and your children.

As legal professionals, it is our duty to protect the child’s best interests. While we understand that this is your priority as well, it can sometimes be difficult to know when measures you are taking to protect your child are more harmful than you realise. We will advise you, take all of your concerns into consideration and give you an objective, professional opinion on the best course of action.

You may wish to consider Collaborative Family Law, where you will both instruct a collaboratively trained solicitor and enter into face-to-face discussions with your ex-partner in order to resolve the issues between you. Your collaboratively trained Solicitors will be committed to helping you come to an agreement without having to attend Court. This usually leads to a more desirable and satisfactory outcome for both parents. However, we appreciate that Collaborative Law is not suitable for all couples.

In the event of parents not being able to reach an agreement, you may find yourself issuing court proceedings, or be on the receiving end of such proceedings. We can help you and explain the Court process and how the Court will make decisions regarding where your child is to live and how much time they are to spend with each of you. The Court’s priority is to protect the welfare of the children and to ensure that the right decision is made for them.

Child Care proceedings

In the unfortunate event that care proceedings are carried out by the local authority, which can happen in suspected cases of abuse or neglect, we will be there to advise you regarding child contact, access and custody and what steps to take next. We can provide you with legal advice prior to the proceedings and refer you to a Legal Aid Practitioner.

We believe that effective and honest communication between you and your solicitor is essential and will serve you well in your pursuit of doing what is best for your children.