Children

Our London-based team of children solicitors is recognised throughout the UK for delivering expert legal advice and support to families.

TV Edwards specialises in advising and representing parents who need help to ensure the right decisions are reached about their children’s lives so that the children can continue to grow in a safe and loving environment after the separation of their parents. Our approach is always child focused and our clients always come first. We focus on delivering affordable, first-class legal services, with exceptional levels of customer service.

Some key court orders:

• If you cannot agree the arrangements for your children, then you may apply to the court (Form C100) for an order (before you do so you must consider mediation)
• Children Arrangements order: Specifies who the child shall live with (Residence) and what time the child shall spend with the other parent or family member.
• Specific Issues order: Determines an issue such as change of a child’s name, what school a child shall attend, what medical treatment a child shall receive and whether a child shall be allowed to leave the country on holiday.

Parental Responsibility (PR)

Parental Responsibility (PR), allows all persons with PR to be involved in the important decisions in a child’s life, covering the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities, and authorities which, by law, a parent has in relation to the child and the child’s property. Such as:

• Where a child should live
• Who a child shall spend time with
• Where a child should go to school
• What medical treatment a child shall have
• Changing a child’s surname name
• What religion a child shall practice
• Taking a child out of the country

Who has Parental Responsibility?

• Mothers have automatic Parental responsibility.
• Married fathers have automatic Parental responsibility.
• Unmarried fathers who are named on a child’s birth certificate

Parental responsibility can be obtained by PR agreement or an order by the court. The court has to consider the child’s welfare and only make an order if it is in the child’s best interest. The court will consider:

• Child’s wishes and feelings (depending on the child’s age),
• Child’s physical, emotional and educational needs
• The likely effect on the child of any change in circumstances
• The child’s age, sex, background, and any characteristics the court thinks relevant
• Any harm the child has suffered or is at risk of suffering
• How capable both parents are of meeting the child’s needs
• The range of powers available to the court
• There is also a presumption that it is in a child’s best interest to have both parents involved in the child’s life, unless there is good reason for no involvement

At TV Edwards we are experts in advising on all child-related matters including:

• Child arrangements
• Social Services Involvements
• Adoption
• Special guardianship
• Relocation
• Abduction​​

Funding your case

Where Legal Aid is not available, we can quote you a competitive price for our work. Click here to find out more.