The majority of Britons would support a change in the law so that children spend equal amounts of time with both parents by default, according to a new survey. Welsh campaign group Families Need Fathers Both Parents Matter Cymru commissioned polling firm YouGov to survey 2,000 adults in different parts of the country. More than 80 per cent agreed with the statement that the law should be changed so family courts start with the assumption that children should spend equal amounts of time with both parents following divorce or separation, unless the children would be at risk in such an…
If you are going through divorce or separation the emotions you are likely to be feeling may range from anger, shock, denial, envy, loss, desperation, loneliness any many more. Your children are likely to be going through a similar range of emotions and will require the support of both parents to successfully traverse this difficult period of change. We have often referred clients to the books below to help them and specifically their children deal with the varied feelings that arise during divorce or separation. We have categorised them in age range which we hope you will find useful. Most…
Important amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 for single biological parents
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (Remedial) Order 2018 came into force on 3 January 2019. This now allows single biological parents who embark on the journey of surrogacy to apply for a parental order; the making of which has the transformative effect of making that person the legal parent of their child. Prior to this statute did not permit a single applicant, despite being biologically linked to their child, to be recognised in law as the legal parent of their child following the surrogacy process. The groundbreaking case of Z (A Child) (No 2) [2016] EWHC 1191 (Fam)…
As you are probably well aware, the Government has struggled to enforce child maintenance payments since time immemorial. This summer, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has taken further steps towards coherent enforcement and has published its response to its own consultation seeking views on a new child maintenance compliance and arrears strategy. The Government has said that these changes, along with previously announced proposals to allow deductions from joint bank accounts, will be introduced during autumn 2018. These measures will complement the existing spectrum of collection and enforcement powers, which are currently employed by the Child Maintenance Service…
