Child Arrangements | Heritage Park Chambers

We offer a personal service, tailor made for your personal circumstances and budget, and can advise on shared custody and all aspects of child arrangements as well as financial orders for the benefit of children under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989.

As specialist family lawyers, we understand how difficult it can be when a relationship breaks down. We know the legal process and uncertainty of outcome can cause increased anxiety for you and that this can impact your children. We offer a supportive yet objective view and we are obliged by the family law protocol and the Resolution guidelines to ensure the best interests of the children are considered and matters are dealt with in a non-adversarial way. You remain in control by being able to refer to us for help and advice as much or as little as you wish, throughout the process or at any stage, and as many times as you need to.

Your children are not automatically considered in divorce proceedings and the Courts would much rather parents worked out arrangements together but if this is not possible then a separate application can be made for a Judge to make decisions about what is in the best interests of the children. Being able to spend time with both parents is considered to be the right of every child. If you can’t agree about the arrangements for the children then at least one of you will need to attend an initial meeting with a mediator before an application is made to court. Mediation can be a very successful way of resolving issues and tends to be faster and less costly than court proceedings. Some mediators are able to involve your children in discussions too as the children’s views can be taken into account by the Courts in making decisions. The older the children are, the more weight will be given to their wishes and feelings.

Additional Information

We understand that your children will be your first concern and, similarly, in court proceedings relating to child arrangements, the welfare of the children is considered paramount.

Expert independent advisers to the court, known as CAFCASS officers, are often called upon to make recommendations to the Judge about what is in the best interest of the children; being able to have a relationship with both parents is considered to be the right of the children rather than of the parents.

Issues the court can deal with include:

Who the children should live with and how frequently they spend time with the other parent
Resolving any particular dispute with regard to the children – for example about their education, health or religion, a change of name or if a parent should be able to take them out of the country for a holiday or to live.
Sharing parental responsibility where the child’s father does not have it automatically
Payment of school fees and other financial claims on behalf of the child
Child abduction
Adoption/special guardianship
Paternity disputes
Grandparent contact

Testimonials

Thank you so very much for your expert advice and guidance over the past 3 years. As I say I just can’t believe what an amazing effect it has had on me since walking from the court yesterday! I don’t mind saying as I walked back to the car park I shed a few tears of total relief of my nightmares finally coming to an end! Life can now start again and I can look forward with so much more positivity and control of it.

Mr J.S

Thank you so much for all your hard work. You have been brilliant throughout from start to finish. I'm putting the house on the market this week. Once again thank you so much.

Mrs E.M

Huge, Huge thanks for all your help, support, hard work and legal advice, it has felt like a long journey from when I first sat in your office but suddenly the case is resolved. The arrival of my Decree Absolute happened to coincide with my collection of a new car so it was a monumental day and truly marked a new chapter in our lives, thank you for making that possible

Mrs L.K

You were very fair with your charges and I really appreciate all your help. I can now look forward to the future and the next chapter of my life. Once again thank you so much for all your support through this long process and for your endeavours on my behalf. Best wishes and a huge hug

Mrs M.R

Thank you for everything you have done for me and having patience with it all, so very happy to be divorced!

Mrs T.G

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