Child Law Solicitors in Hull
If you are dealing with the ending of a relationship, we know that your main concern is likely to be your children. Our family law team can represent you in putting child arrangements in place setting out details of whom your child will live with and when they will see each parent.
We have many years of experience in dealing with family issues and our child arrangements solicitors can work with you to identify the key issues that are important to you and your family then take steps to achieve them.
We understand that this is likely to be an exceptionally difficult time for you. We will do all we can to help you through and achieve the certainty you need for the future.
Our advice will be clear and pragmatic. The family law team includes members of Resolution, a national family law group for lawyers committed to resolving matters with minimal conflict. We are often able to deal with even complex and entrenched disputes out of court, which is not only faster and more cost-effective than litigation, but it can also help parents to work together constructively.
Our child law advice and services include:
- Child arrangements orders
- Representation and advice in alternative dispute resolution and litigation
- Enforcing child arrangements orders
- Specific issue orders
- Prohibited steps orders
Speak to our child law solicitors in Hull
To discuss your requirements with our child law solicitors, please get in touch with our experts in Hull today.
You can contact our Head of Family, Alison Benson on 01482 337363 for more information
Our child law services in Hull
Child arrangements orders
If you and your child’s other parent are separating, having a child arrangements order in place can give everyone some certainty about your child’s day-to-day life. It can include issues such as:
- With whom your child will live and where this will be
- How much time they will spend with their other parent and when this will be
- What will happen in school holidays, if they are of school age
- How they will stay in touch with each parent while they are not together
It is open to you to include whatever details you feel will help and we can work with you to draft an appropriate document. We will negotiate where necessary to try and agree on the arrangements by consent. Once an agreement has been agreed, we will ask the court to approve and seal it, making it into a binding order.
If agreement is not possible, you will need to consider whether mediation can help. This is done by attending a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting or MIAM. A mediator will explain how mediation may help you, then you and your child’s other parent will need to decide whether or not you wish to go through the process.
Where an agreement cannot be reached by way of negotiation or mediation, we can ask the court to make a child arrangements order. We will prepare a strong case on your behalf and guide you through the process, explaining the role of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) and how the court will make its decision.
Representation in alternative dispute resolution and litigation
We will always do all we can to try and deal with matters out of court. Where it is not possible to find a solution via correspondence with the other party’s solicitor, we can discuss alternative dispute resolution options with you.
These include:
- Mediation, where a neutral mediator will help you both to explore potential solutions. No binding decision will be imposed on you – any outcome will be agreed upon by you both voluntarily
- Collaborative law, which is a series of roundtable meetings between you, your child’s other parent and your solicitors to try and find common ground
- Family arbitration, when a professional arbitrator hears your case in a similar way to court proceedings, but on a private basis. This is easier to arrange than a court hearing and generally faster
Enforcing child arrangements orders
If you have a child arrangements order in place but your child’s other parent is failing to comply with its terms, we can take action to remedy the situation.
We can write to them requiring them to stop breaching the order and if this does not improve the situation, we can discuss mediation.
If difficulties continue, we will apply to the court, asking it to enforce the order.
The court has a range of options available to it, including:
- A referral to a Planning Together for Children course
- A referral to mediation
- An enforcement order or suspended enforcement order requiring unpaid work to be carried out
- Variation of the original child arrangements order
- An order for compensation if you have suffered financial losses because of the breach
- A fine
- In the most serious cases, the court has the option to impose a prison sentence, although this is not frequently done
In deciding how to deal with the situation, the court can ask for help from Cafcass. For example, it might want a report setting out the likely impact on the child of a particular course of action, such as the requirement to undertake unpaid work or a variation of the child arrangements order.
Specific issue orders
If there is a particular matter on which you and your child’s other parent or anyone else with parental responsibility cannot agree, we can ask the court to make a specific issue order.
This is an order that generally only relates to a single point, such as where a child will go to school, whether their name can be changed or what medical treatment they will receive.
You will usually need to attend a MIAM before asking the court to intervene. You can then decide whether to try and resolve matters through mediation. If you decide not to do this or mediation is not successful, we can make an application for a specific issue order.
Prohibited steps orders
A prohibited steps order prevents someone from taking a particular action, for example, taking a child overseas, moving to a different area of the country or spending time with someone.
If you are concerned that your child’s other parent may do something which is not in your child’s best interests, we can apply to the court for an order to stop them.
Why choose our child law solicitors in Hull?
Rollits has a well-earned reputation for legal excellence. Our children law solicitors in Hull provide a comprehensive service, helping families navigate difficult issues and putting the best possible framework in place for their future.
If you ask us to represent you, we will take the time to understand your situation and what you feel is right for you and your children. We will provide bespoke advice and work hard on your behalf to achieve the results you need.
To find out more about our services, please see family law solicitors in Hull.
Our child law fees
Our child law services represent excellent value for money. We will ensure that you have a solicitor with the right level of expertise for each aspect of your case and that you have a clear estimate of the costs at the outset, with regular updates throughout.
For more information about child law costs or to ask for a quote, please use the details below to contact us and we will be happy to help.
Speak to our child law solicitors in Hull
To discuss your requirements with our child solicitors, please get in touch with our experts at Rollits.
You can contact our Head of Family, Alison Benson on 01482 337363 for more information