Monday May 21, 2012 at 9:00am
All parents are worried about the effect on their children of divorce or separation. Ultimately, the family courts will make decisions in the interest of the children if parties are unable to agree, but it is always better for children to see that their parents have been able to work things out between them by putting the children first.
Of course, this is easier said than done when a relationship breaks down and emotions are high, but it is possible to share the care of your c....
Monday March 5, 2012 at 9:00am
I was drawn to an article (Why I’ll never let my ex’s new girlfriend meet my son) a few weeks ago. I have since tried to get it out of my head but it just won’t go away so I felt compelled to share my thoughts on it. To summarise, the mother of the child point blank refuses to allow her son to have any contact with his father if she believes his father’s new partner will be present. I’d encourage parents to read this as an example of how not to do thin....
Thursday November 24, 2011 at 9:00am
Upon my recent return to the UK from my adopted home of Egypt, I was sadly excited by the prospect of watching a few EastEnders episodes. The excitement turned to horror as I watched an appallingly written episode which showed a frightening lack of proper and relevant research into current family law and social care practice. In my opinion, it was dangerous.
In this particular episode, Roxy Mitchell left her three-year-old daughter in the temporary care of one of her teenage family members....
Monday September 12, 2011 at 9:45am
We often talk about children being damaged by divorce and there are many studies which suggest that children from a broken home are worse off in one way or another, whether they perform worse at school, have relationship issues of their own later in life or are more likely to get in trouble with the police. The latest one I saw last week is that children whose parents divorce or separate before they are five are more likely to be problem drinkers, so says think tank Demos.
However, is it rea....
Thursday August 25, 2011 at 9:45am
In the charred and smoking aftermath of the worst riots this country has seen for (at least) a generation, Prime Minster David Cameron seems to have woken up to the fact that families could be at the heart of mending our “broken Britain”.
The Big Society idea first floated pre-election, and sounding good at the time has perhaps never seemed so far away, set against the backdrop of marauding packs of hooligans fighting pitched battle with the police, not in one deprived area u....
Monday August 15, 2011 at 10:00am
Mention “five-a-day” and it is likely the first thing that springs to mind is fruit and vegetables. It is the modern day campaign/tool used by the Government to encourage people to get their fill of vitamins by having five pieces of fruit or helpings of vegetables each day. However, there is another five-a-day that is said to be gaining ministerial support and it is more about effective parenting than just kids eating their greens.
Under the scheme, parents will be given a five....
Thursday April 21, 2011 at 10:00am
Easter is great. Lambs, eggs and chocolate. First holiday of the year – or at least it is for those of us who work. The Easter break for the children is their second break from the classroom. Two weeks – or maybe a little more this time – away from school books and lessons. It is a chance to catch up with family members. It is also an opportunity to highlight a technicality in family law which means hundreds, maybe thousands of children across the country are left without anyon....
Thursday February 17, 2011 at 10:00am
As almost any
family law specialist will tell you, agreeing – and getting parents to stick to – maintenance payments for any children is one of the areas most fraught with difficulties. Just the mention of it causes emotions to run high on both sides. For the parent with whom any children will reside, they are keen to ensure the absent party pays their fair share of support costs (at least). For the absent parent, often the father, they have to make sure the arrangement is within the....
Monday November 22, 2010 at 9:00am
I did a double take when I first read the story in the paper about Ed Miliband making his second son “official”. Was first born, Daniel, borrowed then, or in some way not real? What did new arrival Samuel have that his older brother didn’t?
When I got down to the details it was simply the press’s usual caring way of explaining a specific situation arising from family law, akin to the mythical “quickie” divorce that enrages me so much whenever I see it.
The....