2022 brought with it a series of unprecedented changes in the way that we live globally as well as personally. Annual inflation was at a record high which had detrimental consequences for many such as an increase in interest rates and in turn mortgages, the cost of food and living generally, and this is expected…
Andy’s Man Club aims to eliminate the negative stigma surrounding mental health and create an open and supportive environment where men can talk about their feelings and the struggles that they may be facing. They facilitate weekly peer support groups for men over 18 every Monday (expect Bank Holidays) at 7pm all around the country.…
There is no single definition for parental alienation, however, CAFCASS (The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) describe this term as ‘an ongoing pattern of negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours of one parent/carer that have the intention or capability to undermine and potentially threaten the child’s relationship with the other parent’. This behaviour…
Family Solutions is a group of professionals from different disciplines who assembled in 2020 with the aim of improving the experience of those who are separating. They say that the use of language is crucial to shift mindsets away from “adversity and battles”, towards safety, wellbeing, and child welfare. They have proposed five principles of…
With pet ownership increasing significantly over lockdown and divorce rates rising just as rapidly it raises the question of who gets the pet in the event of a divorce? To many their pet is a part of their family, according to PDSA (People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals) 52% of adults in the UK currently own…
As the rates of energy, fuel and household bills continue to increase, families across the UK adjust budgets and cut costs to manage the rising cost of living crisis. But what does this uncertainty mean for divorcing couples? The Office for National Statistics has reported, due to the on-going increase in everyday living costs, individuals…
The general rule in relation to costs in family law matters is that each party to proceedings shall pay their own legal costs. This is the starting point for all applications that come before the Court. Children cases rarely produce an award for costs. The reasons for this are as follows; firstly, as stated in…
In April of this year, the law on divorce is set to change. ‘No fault divorce’ will allow couples to divorce without having to cite blame. They will no longer need to rely on one of the 5 facts (behaviour, adultery, 5 years separation, 2 years separation with consent, desertion). This change hopes to reduce…
The Crime Survey for England and Wales showed that 1.6 million women and 757,000 men had experienced domestic abuse between March 2019 and March 2020, with a 7% growth in police recorded domestic abuse crimes. Although there is limited official data so far on the impact of lockdown on domestic abuse, the Office for National…
In 2001 I joined (what is now called) “Resolution” a community of family justice professionals who work with families and individuals to resolve issues in a constructive way. In January 2003 I became an accredited specialist and remained so until I left the law temporarily to live and work abroad (New Delhi, India and Istanbul,…