Contact with your children this Father’s Day
Separation is not easy and getting used to spending time away from your children is usually the biggest challenge for parents following separation.
Some parents will have a Child Arrangements Order in place that sets out who the child lives with and also the arrangements for the time they spend with the other parent, and this may very well include birthdays and Father’s Day for example. A Child Arrangements Order can be agreed by both parties, with the support of a solicitor, and then approved by the Court so that the order becomes binding.
If you have recently separated and do not have a Child Arrangements Order in place yet, then the best thing to do is to try and reach an agreement that suits both parties in the interim. Your solicitor can help with the negotiations if necessary, or you may wish to consider mediation where you will be assisted to reach a decision that works for everyone. The Mediator can explain to you how you can ask the court to make your mediated agreement binding.
Another alternative to going through the Court is the use of Arbitration, which can help with specific children law issues such as contact. The Arbitrator works with you to reach a mutually agreeable solution and the outcome of the Arbitration becomes final and legally binding once the Arbitrator sends out the written award (or judgement). An Arbitration is essentially like hiring your own private judge, with the process being much quicker than going through the Court.
For some parents, however, where the separation is hostile, agreeing arrangements for children can be very difficult and emotional. Increasingly we see allegations of domestic abuse or parental alienation being made against the other parent, which then prevents any contact with the child until the allegations have been investigated and this can take months and sometimes even years to resolve. In cases where false allegations have been made, this can be extremely damaging to the relationship that the accused parent has with their child due to the lack of contact. Venters Solicitors have the experience to help you compile your evidence and either make or refute the allegations made against you. Our team will be here to assist you every step of the way.
For more information on Child Arrangements Orders please see our latest guide
