Ahead of National Adoption Week, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced extra funding to support adopted children and their families. The funding is aimed at helping adopted children overcome past trauma. Building on an investment

Currently England and Wales looks to the Brussels IIa for the rules as to which EU member state can determine divorce and matrimonial matters, as well as other family matters such as resident and parental

Monday 14th October marked the opening of Parliament and the first Queen’s speech of Boris Johnson’s premiership. Promising to impose tougher sentences and ensuring the continuation of the Domestic Abuse Bill, there was a focus

“We allow individuals a legal route to acquire gender; we must not then fall short when they wish to use those rights” This was the disappointed response to a ruling from the High Court, whereby

The most dangerous time for a victim of domestic abuse is on leaving the abuser, often when an abuser learns of their victim’s decision to leave they can become more violent. Victims therefore have to

Aiming to help solicitors increase productivity rather than replace solicitors, LawTech looks to benefit solicitors in meeting their client needs more efficiently. There is no doubt that we are surrounded by technology and despite some

October marked the 1st anniversary for the Nottingham office of Stowe Family Law, a part of the UK’s largest specialist family law firm and the first office for the firm in the Midlands. Recently ranked

Register My Marriage seeks to campaign to amend the Marriage Act 1949 and is committed to raising awareness to the lack of legal protection for unregistered faith marriages. Started in 2104 by Aina Khan OBE,

Recent statistics have shown a 13% decline in the number of applications for divorce in the last year, continuing the trend of falling divorce applications since 2010. Despite shocking headlines stating 42% of marriages end

A report published by The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) is calling for reforms to improve reparations for victims and survivors of child sex abuse after their experiences were found to be “hostile,

Since 2006 the general rule regarding orders for costs in financial proceedings, is that there shall be no order; save in some circumstances mentioned in the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR), which include whether it

Any person can be forgiven for being confused as to what is happening in UK politics at the moment. At a time when some felt it was of utmost importance for decisions to be made

Earlier this month saw the launch of YRes Manchester’s new website www.yresmanchester.co.uk. Founded in 2007 by a number of family law solicitors from across Greater Manchester, YRes Manchester helps new starters in the law profession

With prorogation entering its second week, as yet, there has been no mention of the return of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separations Bill (known simply as the Divorce Bill), in contrast to its cousin the

Wednesday 18th September, saw the announcement of the UK’s first Domestic Abuse Commissioner, Ms Nicole Jacobs. Following the introduction of the Domestic Abuse Bill to Parliament in July, part of the Bill was to establish

To some clients, the thought that their soon to be ex-spouse may have a claim over any future wealth may seem bizarre. Why should a person whom you have ended your relationship with have an

Since December 2005 same sex couples have been able to join together in a legally binding civil partnership, with marriage for same sex couples becoming legal with the introduction of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples)

Since April 2018, litigants in person have been able to apply for a divorce online, meaning people are able to bypass solicitors when seeking a divorce. This is certainly a popular option for those who

In 1999 the Youth and Criminal Justice Act enabled the protection and assistance to vulnerable witnesses attending criminal courts, including those with learning disabilities and children. The Act included investigative and pre-trial measures, court procedures

The BBC has today reported a large increase in homicides linked to domestic abuse, meaning rates are at their highest in 5 years. In 2018 173 people were killed in domestic violence-related homicides, an increase

Solicitors who practise family law and are trained collaborative lawyers will know the benefits that come with negotiating rather than litigating a separation or divorce. It is beyond doubt that it is in the best

Parental alienation is estimated to occur in between 11-15% of cases of divorcing parents. Divorce is a difficult time not just for couples but even more so for the children. Each child copes with the

The 9th September marked the proroguing of Parliament, a move by Boris Johnson that has split opinions across the country. “Scuffles” broke out in the Commons with what were considered “chaotic scenes” of Labour MPs

A report has found that the number of older children going into care is damaging the stability of the system. Findings have come out from the 2019 Stability Index, an annual measure of the stability

Surrogacy has become an increasingly popular alternative to adoption for couples that have exhausted every avenue of fertility treatment. With Parental Order applications following surrogacy at 300 a year and increasing, a long-overdue review of

The London Family Drugs and Alcohol Court (FDAC), running at the Central Family Court since 2008, helps parents stop and remain free from substance and alcohol abuse, with an aim to keep families together. It

The Children Act 1989 is one of the most important pieces of legislation regarding the welfare of children in the UK. Any family solicitor will know the power it has in court and how the

July saw the publication of the Nuffield funded study ‘Pensions on Divorce’ by the Pension Advisory Group (PAG), which identified widespread lack of confidence amongst practitioners when it came to the issue of pensions during

A successful application under Part III of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 (MFPA) allows courts in England and Wales the power to make financial orders, after a marriage has been dissolved in a

In 2014, it became a criminal offence to force one or both persons to marry, including taking them abroad to marry and coercing them into marrying, as well as those who are unable to give

The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) recently released its monthly figures on applications to its service for July 2019, for both care cases and private law cases, showing the continuing rise

The Child Support Act 1991 made it a requirement that all parents who were liable to pay child support should do so. The Child Support Agency (CSA) was then introduced in 1993 to calculate and

At present, a person looking to divorce can only apply after 2 years of separation, with the agreement of their spouse, or after 5 years of separation should they be unable to obtain consent. Otherwise,

With recent changes to UK divorce law allowing applications of no-fault divorces as well as separating couples being able to apply for a divorce on line, should prenuptial agreements (PNAs) evolve to have more legal

It has long been known that disputes are solved quicker and more easily through mediation: the Greeks were doing it over 1500 years ago, and the Government actively encourages mediation between separating parties. The Children

Since 2010 the Government has listed domestic abuse as one of its absolute priorities, focusing on four key areas; To promote awareness of domestic abuse To promote support for victims of domestic abuse To pursue