Child Law Solicitors in Coventry
When relationships break down, there are often arguments and disagreements about child arrangements. Most parents want the best for their children, but difficulties in communicating with their former partners can lead to disputes over the best steps to take to benefit their children.
The less acrimony between parents, the better children can cope with the breakdown of their parents’ relationship. Financial considerations must be worked out and agreed upon when separating from your spouse, which can often create tension.
We aim to provide sensible, sensitive, and practical responses to these issues at what can be a very stressful and emotive time. We will deliver a solution that ensures the best for your children.
Our child lawyers are all members of Resolution, a community of lawyers dedicated to providing conflict-free solutions, so you can rest assured that your relationships will be preserved as much as possible.
Our child law solicitors in Coventry can provide advice on child law matters that include:
- Parental responsibility
- Child arrangement orders
- Financial arrangements
- All Children Act proceedings including prohibited steps, specific issue etc
Contact our child law solicitors in Coventry today
For bespoke, accessible advice on child law issues, don’t hesitate to contact our child law solicitors in Coventry today. You can call us at 024 7663 2121 or email us at info@bandhattonbutton.com.
Our child law solicitors’ charges
At Band Hatton Button, we aim to be completely transparent regarding our fees. Most of our services are delivered at an hourly rate, although we can provide estimates for our charges if you get in contact with us.
Find out more about our charges.
How our child lawyers can help you
Parental responsibility
Parental responsibility defines your rights and authority as a child’s parent, such as their home, contact, education, religion, medical treatment, and lifestyle. As a parent, having a strong opinion about what is best for your child when considering these matters is natural.
If you wish to apply for parental responsibility, our expert child law solicitors at Band Hatton Button can help. We can provide mediatory services to achieve the desired result, helping you reach a voluntary parental responsibility agreement through expert advice and representation.
If you have questions about whether or not you currently have parental responsibility, refer to our FAQs section.
If you need to apply to the court for a parental responsibility order, we can provide robust representation in court and assist you in drafting the necessary documentation.
Child Arrangement Orders
When parents separate, a child arrangement order dictates where the child lives, how much time they will get with each parent, and the type of contact the non-resident parent will receive. This can be especially stressful if you are worried that your contact with your child will be limited.
If you are faced with a child arrangement case, it is essential that you seek expert guidance to achieve the best results for your family. If the case does not require litigation, our expert alternative dispute resolution solicitors will provide sensitive mediation or arbitration services that will ensure the best for your family.
Nevertheless, it is impossible to guarantee an outcome without litigation. If court proceedings are required, our specialist child law solicitors will fight your case, using their extensive knowledge and diverse connections in the country’s courts to see that you receive the best results.
Child Maintenance
Ensuring that your child has the financial support necessary to thrive is essential. If your child’s other parent is not contributing to child maintenance, this can be extremely stressful and cost you a lot of money in some cases.
You can make a claim for child maintenance through the Child Maintenance Service, which is the port of call for the majority of child maintenance cases. In the event of disputes, the CMS will take a non-payer to court and obtain an order, such as an Attachment of Earnings Order, to ensure payment is made.
Sometimes, you can apply directly to court for a child maintenance order. Our expert child law solicitors can assess your case to determine whether you should apply to court or to the CMS.
We can represent you in Court where necessary or provide you with advice on how best to approach the CMS. We can assure you that our services will make your child’s welfare absolutely paramount.
Local Authority Involvement
Disputes involving social services and local authorities can be confusing and scary. Rest assured that our expert children law solicitors in Coventry can provide bespoke, sensitive advice to ensure your children receive the outcome most considerate to their needs.
If you feel that local authorities could have grounds to take your children away from you through initiating child care protection proceedings, this can be especially daunting.
At HPLP, we have vast experience dealing with local authorities in child law cases. Our solicitors have the skills necessary to ensure the outcome from any pre-proceedings meetings are positive, giving you the best chance of success should action be taken against you.
Frequently Asked Questions about Child Law
How is child custody determined?
Child custody, now legally known as child residency, is one of the most important decisions made when organising parents’ separation. Knowing that your children may be entering into an agreement you disagree with can be incredibly stressful, so it’s important to know how residency is determined.
By default, courts will suggest that residency should be shared. However, there are several factors which can mean a court will favour one parent when deciding on a residency agreement, including:
- Welfare of the child – emotional, educational, and physical needs
- Opinion of the child, depending on their age and maturity
- Welfare, lifestyle, mental and physical health of each parent in addition to history of crime
- Role of other adults, i.e. grandparents, and their proximity to the child
- Practicality
Who has parental responsibility?
A child’s biological mother will always have parental responsibility unless she has given up her child through adoption or other means.
The biological father will always have parental responsibility if he is married to the mother at the time of birth and otherwise will have parental responsibility if he appears on the child’s birth certificate.
If you are in a female same-sex civil partnership, you will likely both have parental responsibility, whereas if you are in a male same-sex civil partnership and you father children through a surrogate, you will likely need to apply to the court for parental responsibility.
If you are unsure about your eligibility, don’t hesitate to contact our expert child law solicitors in Coventry. They will be happy to answer any of your questions.
What are child arrangements?
Child arrangements dictate how and where a child will live, spend time with their parents and have contact with their family. It will also outline how to pay for the child’s welfare and the types of contact permitted.
Whilst child arrangements can be verbal and informal, it is sensible to write them down in case of disputes. In case of disputes, a Child Arrangement Order will be established by a court that legally stipulates child arrangements.
What is child maintenance, and how is it enforced?
As part of their parental responsibility, both parents are legally required to contribute to child maintenance. Child maintenance refers to the finances used to ensure your child’s welfare is looked after, including paying for food, shelter, and more.
Child maintenance is enforced by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), which can take action to obtain payments from you if you do not pay your required child maintenance payments. Action can occur through deductions directly from a bank account, from earnings from your employer, or by taking you to court.
For more information, please refer to the government’s CMS page.
Why should I use Band Hatton Button for my child law issues?
Our child law solicitors in Coventry will provide a practical, empathetic service that always prioritises your child's welfare.
We hold internationally recognised ISO and Lexcel accreditations, as well as many other awards and accreditations.
The head of our Family Department, Tracy Cross, is an Accredited Mediator, making her the perfect person to ensure your divorce is resolved without conflict.
She is incredibly experienced in collaborative law and can provide compassionate, guided insight, no matter how complex the situation may be.
Contact our child law solicitors in Coventry today
For bespoke, specialised advice on child law issues, don’t hesitate to contact our child law solicitors in Coventry today. You can call us at 024 7663 2121 or email us at info@bandhattonbutton.com.