Private Law Children: Contact and Residence disputes under the Children Act 1989

The team frequently act for parents, extended family members, step or foster parents, guardians and children in a wide variety of work acting in all courts from the Family Proceedings Court to the Court of Appeal and beyond. We are regularly briefed from emergency applications, fact findings to final hearing and where required appeal.

Our Specialists work closely with our clients and solicitors to obtain the best possible outcome. The team recognise that if a matter should go to court in relation to a dispute involving children in a family breakup, it is both a stressful and difficult time for anyone involved, especially the children and to try to ensure consistency of counsel wherever possible.

We regularly advise on:

• Children Act 1989 proceedings, including residence/shared residence and contact applications
• Enforcement
• Variation of Orders
• Paternity
• Parental responsibility
• Interveners and extended family members
• Guardians and Special Guardianship
• Matters involving the Official Solicitor
• Injunctive proceedings, including Non-Molestation Orders and Occupation Orders
• Domestic violence and emotional abuse
• Disputes regarding education, medical procedures/treatment and changes of name
• Removal from the jurisdiction, ‘Leave to Remove’ and international relocation
• International private law
• Children Act 1989, Schedule 1
• Child Support Act 1991
• Issues relating to Human Rights

Our specialists have the expertise to accept instructions in cases involving an international component including child abduction under the Hague Convention and applications for leave to remove the child from the jurisdiction. Members of Chambers have experience dealing with cases involving jurisdictional issues including disputes in respect of forum conviens.

We are able to advise on issues regarding professional negligence claims or immigration issues arising from family matters. Where expert evidence is needed, members of Chambers are able to assist in the appropriate expert instruction.

The benefit of Chambers’ family practitioners is the breadth of experience in other relevant areas such as private law children & care, family finance and injunctions; allowing the clients to retain the same barrister for private and public law children proceedings and finance litigation.

Chambers are accredited by the Bar Council as course providers and members of chambers provide in house seminars, training and presentations, whether in house at the client’s premises or here in chambers. For further information regarding our lectures please visit our seminars page.

If you need any assistance in any of these areas, please contact our clerking team for the on 023 80 73 6812  or e-mail clerks@no18chambers.com