Divorce - Disputes over Children

WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A DISAGREEMENT OVER THE CHILDREN
If you are a parent involved in a divorce or other relationship breakdown there are steps that you can take to protect your, and your children's position.

Try to avoid getting into arguments about the children. Certainly, do not try to use them as a lever to obtain a better financial settlement and do not involve them in your difficulties within the relationship. Think about what is best for them. You may well want them to live with you but are you able to look after them properly? Do you have a lifestyle, job and income, which allows you to be there when you are needed? Are you really thinking about the children or are you thinking about what you want (or what your former partner does not want)? Think everything through carefully before you adopt a position. If you are reasonable in what you think should happen you might find that things fall into place fairly easily and that no legal proceedings are necessary.

If that does not work, think about counselling or mediation and make enquiries about what services are available in your area. Find out if there are charges for mediation and whether public funding/legal aid is likely to cover these. If you can arrange mediation without lawyers becoming involved try to do so. The mediator is not there to make an order or to impose a decision on you. Instead, the process of aimed at finding common ground, the real problem and a solution, which you can either accept or reject.

If none of this works or if you need a lawyer to advise in more detail and to assist in mediation or act in a court application consult Seatons Solicitors.