It is appreciated at Anthony Morris Solicitors that issues involving children can be emotional and we pride ourselves in recognising this fact and all work is undertaken in an amicable fashion.
Child Arrangements Order
The Children and Families Act 2014 removes the definitions with respect to Residence and Contact Orders and replaces those orders with a Child Arrangements Order. The idea was to move away from terms such as Residence and Contact which can be a source of contention between parents and to focus on the practical issues in the day to day care of a child.
A Child Arrangements Order is defined as an Order regulating the arrangements relating to
- with whom a child should live, spend time or otherwise have contact;
- or when a child is to live, spend time or otherwise have contact with any person.
Other types of contact might include indirect contact by way of telephone calls, Skype, letters as well as direct contact.
Parental Responsibility Agreements
It is likely that an unmarried father does not have Parental Responsibility for their child or children. We can advise fathers in relation to the rights the Parental Responsibility will give a father and how to obtain it. We can also advise mothers in relation to any requests for Parental Responsibility made by the father. It is also possible for step parents to obtain step-parent Parental Responsibility and we can assist you in this area.
Specific Issue Order and Prohibited Steps Order
We handle all queries and applications for either a specific issue order or a prohibited steps order. These orders cover a number of scenarios and we would discuss this further with you through our appointment with you.
Adoption
We can also advise and represent you in adoption proceedings relating to your children. We can also assist you with regards to children placed with you by the Local Authority for adoption, in which case the Local Authority may fund the cost of this matter on a private client basis.
Child Removal from the Jurisdiction of England and Wales
We can advise parents (or guardians) in relation to the procedure to prevent a child from being removed from or within the United Kingdom or upon getting the child returned to the United Kingdom after the removal has occurred.
Public Law (Care Proceedings)
Whether the matters affecting you are between you and your partner or whether they also involve other people such as the police or social services, we have experienced solicitors who are able to advise and represent you in relation to all aspects of issues affecting your children. If social services and/or the Police ask to meet you we strongly advise you to have the benefit of our specialised knowledge of this particularly sensitive and important area of work. If the Local Authority (Social Services) write to you in relation to a Meeting before Proceedings (also known as a Public Law Outline meeting) free Legal Aid is available to represent you in any such meeting. In the event of an application for a Care or Supervision order by the local authority, Legal Aid is free throughout the course of the proceedings.
This firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
