Disputes Involving Children
Ashfords know that cases involving children issues require as much, if not more, from our lawyers in terms of insight and flexibility to assist resolution of these difficult problems, and resolve and expertise where an early settlement is not achievable for whatever reason.
We have a particular expertise in the area of children in "Care" and undertake work for local authorities and on behalf of both children and parents.
- 'Residence' - issues over status as 'primary carer';
- 'Contact' - frequency of time with parents and/or other relatives such as grandparents;
- Education - including the school a child should attend and who should pay for what;
- Child abduction;
- Names;
- Leave to remove from jurisdiction - moving a child abroad requires consent of both parents or leave of the court, and is a specialist order of law;
- Financial provision for children - including housing and capital requirements;
- Child support, including 'top-up' orders - the child support system is complex and involves detailed understanding of its detailed issues. Contrary to popular opinion, there is still court jurisdiction in many cases;
- Children in "Care" - under the Children Act 1989 (successor to a many previous years of jurisdiction) the state has the power and duty to intervene in families and assert an interest in the welfare of children if it believes the child is being neglected or likely to suffer harm. In extreme cases, this intervention will involve removing the child from the family either temporarily or permanently, with adoption by another family a possibility; and
- Surrogacy.
