Child & Childcare Lawyers in London
On a breakdown of marriage or civil partnership, decisions have to be made over the welfare and custody of any children. Often making these decisions can be difficult and painful. Sometimes we refer you to other counselling agencies to assist you in making these decisions.
Parental Responsibility Considerations
Parental Responsibility is either inherent or can be acquired. Parental Responsibility involves the capacity to make decisions about a child’s upbringing and welfare. These can include such matters as:
- Where the children should live
- With whom the children should live
- Where the children should go to school
- What name the children should be given
- Whether the children should go abroad
- Whether the children are brought up with certain religious beliefs
- What medical treatment the children should have
Childcare Lawyers in London – Types of Court Orders
- Lives with order – Decide with whom any of the children shall live. This can result in a Care Order
- Spends time with order – Set out how often and when the non resident parent spends time with the children
- Specific issue order – These ask the court to decide issues in connection with any aspect of Parental Responsibility for a child
- Prohibited steps order – To prevent particular steps being taken with respect to a child
In many cases we will try to negotiate these issues between lawyers and clients but where they cannot be agreed, then recourse must be had to the courts. We are very happy to assist with any of these issues.
Contact Orders for Grandparents
Divorce can affect not only the parties but wider family. At Lloyd Platt & Co we pride ourselves with assisting grandparents with contact to their grandchildren. In the case of grandparents, it is possible to apply to court for contact but it is a two stage process with applying for the court’s permission in the first instance and then for an order for contact.
We have been extremely successful in obtaining contact between the families in particular for grandparents with grandchildren, aunts and uncles with their nephews and nieces and the wider family.
Special Guardianship/Kinship Arrangements
Occasionally, parents are unable to look after their children and they have to be cared for by wider family members. Often this is a child’s grandparent. Such arrangements are referred to as “kinship” arrangements. To enable the child’s carer to exercise parental responsibility; to deal with confidential matters for the child or make decision to ensure the child’s best interests are properly met will require a Court order.
A kinship carer can apply for an order to confirm the child lives with them and this will confer parental responsibility. This may be a child arrangements order or special guardianship order. A special guardianship order allows the Court to appoint one or more persons to be a child’s special guardian. The Applicant must be aged 18 or over and may not be the child’s parents.
The holders of an order confirming that child resides with them, anyone with whom the child has lived for over three years with the consent of anyone already holding parental responsibility can apply. When a child is in local authority care (known as foster care) a carer may also apply for this order if the local authority gives consent. If you are caring for a child and you are not the child’s parent we can discuss which option is the best for the child.
Contact our Childcare Lawyers in London
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