On many an occasion, there has been a dispute between two parents after their separation over who gets to see their child/children and when. After all, you just want the best for your loved ones, right? And if you feel like you can give them the best level of care, it can be hard watching them grow up with less than you feel they deserve. Especially with recently divorced or separated couples, these disputes can turn bitter quickly, with emotional attachment sometimes leading to one or both parties not coming to a compromise. This results in the courts, or solicitors like the ones from St Helens Law, having to step in, in order to decide on the best arrangement on the parents’ behalf.
If you don’t want it to reach that point, here are some things you should consider to try and reach an agreement that suits all parties.
Think of the children involved
These disputes can only happen regarding children under the age of 18, as they are not deemed able to make such a decision themselves. The children involved should be at the forefront of your thinking at all times, as it is their welfare that you are contesting. It can be hard coming to a decision that doesn’t suit your ideal scenario, but children are one of the most vulnerable groups of people in society, so if you are able to know that they are in good hands, then this should make proceedings easier.
If you question the care credentials of the other person involved, then make sure that you have all the evidence needed in order to back up your argument, as it may look like you are expressing this point with your own interests taking precedence over that of your young children.
Will an arrangement see them regularly in and out of school, effecting their education? Or will they not be able to see their friends as often, having an impact on their social welfare? These are things that should be taken into consideration at all times.
What do you actually need to agree on?
Of course, in an ideal world no one wants to go to court to decide on the custodial rights for your children, but with the emotion involved many parents feel like they need to achieve the best outcomes by any means necessary. But although at the time the process may not feel like its progressing, have you actually considered what you need to agree on? Even if this method doesn’t work, it will help you become better educated further down the line in court, or during mediation.
You will not need to go to court if you can agree on the following:
- Where will the child live?
- How much time will the child spend with each parent?
- How will each parent financially support the child?
In most cases, separated parents will still live relatively close by, so the child can still easily see both parents and switch between houses whilst still going to the same school as they did before.
The courts are now looking to promote equal responsibility for both parents, as long gone are the days when a stay at home mum and a working dad were the norm. With the roles very much interchangeable in the modern day, there might be an obvious fit on when having custody of your children fits around your working hours.
Every parent wants to support their child financially in some way, this is a given, but disputes can often arise over how much support is coming from both sides, in relation to how much time they are getting to spend with their children. This should be something that is given much deliberation to ensure that the child is in the best possible hands financially.
Is mediation the answer? Come to us
Sometimes you can still seek professional help to resolve a dispute without going to court through mediation. Divorce mediation in St Helens gives both parties a chance to state their argument in the presence of a third party that can help you come to an agreement you can compromise on.
Here at St Helens Law, we offer expert mediation with our experienced child custody attorneys in St Helens, so you can rest assured you are in capable hands and will have the best chance of reaching a settlement without going all the way to court.
Get in touch with St Helens Law
If you feel like this may be the best course of action, then we will gladly be of assistance at St Helens Law. Our experienced team are on hand to provide sensible advice in the interest of giving all parties the best possible outcome.
To get in touch with us today, give us a call on 01744 742360 or email us at info@sthelenslaw.co.uk. You can also fill out our online enquiry form and we will respond as soon as possible.