Children & Child Custody

Figures released recently by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and charity Reunite have revealed that the number of parental child abduction and custody cases has more than doubled over the past ten years, with almost two children being abducted abroad each day.

The case, reported in the Telegraph, concerned a Canadian divorcee who had been living in the UK with her former husband and two children. The woman wished to return to her native Canada after her divorce, and take her young children, aged two and four, with her. The mother complained of feeling 'lonely' and 'isolated' in Britain. She applied to the court for permission to take the children with her and was initially successful. However, her former husband, and father to the children appealed and the Court of Appeal struck the first ruling down. It did this on the basis that the father had been playing a 'major role' in the lives of the children since the couple had separated, seven months before the divorce. The father looked after the children for two nights per week (35% of the time, as the Telegraph point out).

We live in an increasingly globalised and fast-paced society. It is more common than ever for us to move overseas to work, and marriages between partners of different nationalities are on the increase. This creates obvious problems where children are concerned. While me may hope that our moves abroad, and our marriages, are permanent, often our work situation changes or our relationships break down. In these types of situation, children can become the subject of custody disputes of a transnational (or perhaps even just trans-regional) character. One partner may wish to return to their native land (or indeed remain in an adopted homeland) when a relationship breaks down.

Following his article in Family Law Week (1) in which he argued for the greater use of non-legal skills in the family justice system, Richard Gregorian, family law solicitor, explains in more detail the practice model which enables psychiatrists, psychological strategists and other mental health care experts to have a far greater influence in determining the outcome of disputes involving children following marital or relationship breakdown whilst broadening their practice.

Here at Gregorian Emerson Family Law Solicitors we deal with Child law advice Guildford on a daily basis. It is a sad statistic of today's society that around 1 in 3 marriages will end in divorce and it is a painful thing to go through, not just for you as the adults, but for any children involved too.

Here at Gregorian Emerson Family Law Solicitors we understand child law advice Guildford and can help throughout the Guildford and Surrey area. We will respond quickly to your needs, giving you the information you need and helping to reduce the stress and uncertainty about what the future might hold.

If your local authority has serious concerns over the welfare of your child you will need child law advice Guildford as a matter of urgency. We can help you through the minefield of any child law issues you are currently experiencing and are best placed to help you and your family receive the best advice and support available to you.

Here at Gregorian Emerson Family Law Solicitors we have many years of expertise in the field of child law advice Guildford and are well placed to offer you excellent, personal advice pertaining to your case.  In our experience no-one enters into a marriage intending to divorce a few years down the line, but it is an unfortunate statistic that around 1 in 3 couples will end up doing so.

Managing your contact handovers can be a stressful time for many newly divorced couples, with a myriad of emotions still bubbling below the surface and it is likely to be the only time you will need to interact with your ex spouse post divorce.  As experienced child law advice Guildford lawyers we can help you to manage this situation successfully.

There's never been a more important time to discuss your child's mental health and as expert child law advice Guildford lawyers, we are best placed to help you with any issues you may be experiencing at this time.  It is far more acceptable and far easier to access help, advice and support for any mental health issues now than at any time before.

The National Audit Office recently published the findings of its investigation into the Department for Work & Pensions’ closure of its 1993 and 2003 child maintenance schemes.

An article by Richard Gregorian, principal of Gregorian Emerson Family Law Solicitors (www.gelaw.co.uk) and Gavin Emerson, Brief Strategic Therapist.

Nagalro, the professional association for court guardians, has welcomed the government’s commitment to reducing delay in the family justice system, but has raised concerns that the proposals may harm children’s interests.

Ofsted has warned local authorities that, under new adoption inspection arrangements, they will only be able to achieve an ‘outstanding’ judgement if they ensure all children identified for adoption are placed within twelve months. These new arrangements will be implemented in April this year.

Six major children’s charities have joined together to voice concerns that children will be denied access to justice in proposed changes to legal aid.

A new report by think tank Policy Exchange has claimed that non-resident fathers on benefits should be made to work if they refuse to take financial responsibility for their children.

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in the case of Gas and Dubois v. France that the refusal to allow a woman to adopt her same-sex partner’s child was not discriminatory.

The applicants, Valérie Gas and Nathalie Dubois, are French nationals who have been cohabiting since 1989.

The charity Family Rights Group has warned that family and friends carers are not receiving adequate support from local authorities to help them raise some of the country's most vulnerable children.

Barnardos has issued a statement following the release of figures by Cafcass, the children's court advisory service, which show that the number of applications from local councils to take children into care in England has exceeded 10,000 for the first time.