Lawyers for child arrangements after divorce & separation

Children can be affected in many ways when their parents separate or divorce. Our award-winning family lawyers have been providing expert advice and guidance on legal issues and arrangements for children since 1987, helping to secure the best possible outcome for your future.

You may need to agree where your children will live and when and where they will see their other parents. You may have disagreements about where your children will live, arrangements for contact or other issues, such as where they should go to school. You may also have an international element to your marriage or civil partnership.

Experienced, trusted family lawyers for child legal issues after divorce

We take time to understand your situation and your needs and give you expert legal advice about your respective rights and those of your children. We offer you practical and honest guidance with the primary aim of reaching the right solutions to meet the needs of you and your children and help resolve these issues.

We are here to help with issues relating to:

• Live With, previously called residence or custody.

• Spend Time With, meaning who the child can see, and when, referred to as contact or access.

• Financial issues, such as school fees, child maintenance and housing.

• Relocation, for example one parent may want to move abroad or elsewhere in the UK with children.

• Other issues, such as grandparents’ parents or the child’s school or surname.

We can refer you to expert family mediators, who we work in tandem with. Family mediation and out-of-court negotiated resolutions are endorsed by judges and the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (CAFCASS) as being a quicker, less acrimonious and more cost effective alternative to court.

CAFCASS is a public body in promoting child welfare in family court proceedings. It reports directly and provides independent advice to the court.

If your case does go to court, you may require a child arrangement order. This sets out who the child is to live with and when and who the child spends time with. Other types of court order include a prohibited steps order, which can prevent a partner from doing certain things (such as relocating with the child), or a specific issue order, which can stipulate on an issue such as where the child is educated or change of name.

If court proceedings were to be necessary, you’ll have the peace of mind of knowing you have the very best legal expertise available in navigating the process.

Based in Yorkshire, but helping parents and children across the UK and beyond

If you’re nearby Leeds, Harrogate or you’re in the Yorkshire area, our welcoming offices might be the perfect place for what can be difficult, sensitive discussions about child arrangements after divorce or separation.

However, we can work flexibly and conveniently to you by email, phone call or video call across the UK and further afield in a way that suits you, including on international cases.

The breakdown of a marriage, relationship or civil partnership can be a time of great emotional upheaval. Peace of mind is crucial, which is why our communication on fees will be clear from the start and we will always avoid legal jargon.

Trust our award-winning family lawyers

Our solicitors are members of Resolution, a national organisation of family lawyers committed to practising family law in a way which is constructive, child focused, preserves dignity and is non-confrontational.

Rated as ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot, we are proud to be recognised as a ‘Leading Firm’ in The Legal 500 2024, with 98% of our customers saying they would use us again and recommend us to their family and friends.

Take some time to consider our awards and testimonials to discover how our family lawyers might be able to help you.