Can I get a divorce? You can get divorced in England and Wales if: You have been married for over one year; Your marriage has permanently (or “irretrievably”) broken down; Your marriage is legally recognised in the United Kingdom; and You (or your spouse) permanently live in the United Kingdom. What are the grounds for…
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My partner and I are separating, what are my rights as a parent? Family lawyers tend to use the term “parental responsibility” rather than “parental rights”. A mother automatically has parental responsibility for her child. However, parental responsibility is only granted to a father if he: Is married to the child’s mother when the child…
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If you and your former partner are thinking of separating and/or getting a divorce, it is likely that you will need to make arrangements and agreements for the future. Family mediation can assist with this by ensuring that any issues that arise on separation are resolved in an amicable and constructive manner, avoiding the need…
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Family Mediation Week will be taking place from 18 to 22 January 2021 in order to raise awareness of family mediation and how it can help separating families to manage their issues both collaboratively and productively. The campaign is organised by the Family Mediation Council, which is a not-for-profit organisation that maintains a professional register…
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Yes, stalking is increasingly being recognised as a form of domestic abuse within the criminal justice system and most stalking offences are committed by former partners. In 2019 to 2020, 2,288 charges were brought for stalking, more than double the number of charges brought five years ago. This is because stalking is increasingly recognised as…
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What is child maintenance? Child maintenance payments meet a child’s day-to-day living expenses, one-off expenses and housing costs following parental separation. Child maintenance is regular payments made by the parent with whom the child does not live (commonly referred to as the non-resident parent) to the person or parent with care (often referred to as…
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What is parental alienation? While there is no single definition, the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) recognise parental alienation as “when a child’s resistance or hostility towards one parent is not justified and is the result of psychological manipulation by the other parent”. It is one of a number of reasons…
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Christmas is a special time of year for families, especially children. This year will be unlike any other due to the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting national restrictions. As people want to be with their friends and family over Christmas, particularly after such a difficult year, the Government has changed some social contact restrictions for…
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The coronavirus pandemic is putting an enormous strain on relationships. Whilst it was perfectly normal to have some underlying tensions between spouses or civil partners before the crisis, the confinement and anxieties from the pandemic have created a breaking point in many relationships. Citizens Advice said that the number of people viewing the divorce webpage…
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If you’re worried someone might see you have visited this page, The Dash Charity website tells you how to guard your privacy. Click here: https://thedashcharity.org.uk/pages/24-guard-your-privacy. It has been well-documented that, tragically, there has been a surge in reports of domestic violence cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you, or someone close to you, is experiencing…
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