Many people derive huge satisfaction from fostering vulnerable children. There is always a shortage of foster carers, with some areas being affected more than most. This guide will explain the process of applying to be a foster carer so you can fulfil your dream of helping children who desperately need a safe place to live. more
Have You Got A Pet-Nup? Almost everyone is familiar with Pre-Nups (short for prenuptial agreements) but have you heard of a Pet-Nup? If you haven’t, you may be in danger of risking a ‘War of the Fido’ situation as opposed to a ‘War of the Roses’ should your marriage crumble later down the line. more
A heart-breaking case was put before a High Court judge in March by the parents of a critically ill seven-month old baby named Charlie. Charlie suffers from a rare strain of the genetic condition known as mitochondrial depletion syndrome. Doctors at Great Ormond Street have told the desperate parents that they can do nothing further for the baby and he should be allowed to “die with dignity”. more
The number of children made subject to special guardianship orders continues to rise year on year. According to figures released by the Department of Education, between April 2014 and March 2015, a total of 3,520 special guardianship orders were granted compared to 3,360 in the previous year. Even more startling, the number of special guardianship orders granted has almost doubled from the 2010/11 figure of 1,780. more
For many couples desperate to have a baby, surrogacy is an attractive option, depending on the circumstances. But what exactly is surrogacy? And is it legal in the UK? What if the birth mother refuses to hand over the child? This article provides answers to these questions and more. more
In October 2016, Mr Justice Peter Jackson granted the request of a 14-year-old girl, JS, that after her imminent death from cancer her mother could arrange for her body to be cryonically frozen. This case has brought many ethical questions to the foreground. As science progresses, do we need regulations around the process of cryonical freezing to protect vulnerable people from being exploited, both financially and emotionally? more
If you are in immediate danger, please call 999. The Welsh Assembly has been devolved powers under the Wales Bill to make changes to the country’s parental law. One of its first acts is to pass legislation banning the right of parents to use force to discipline their child. more
Choosing to adopt a child is one of the most important decisions you could ever make. The adoption process is strictly monitored and there are a number of interviews and observations made on perspective adopters before a child is given to them. more
If you have suffered physical or sexual abuse as a child it is possible to claim compensation if the local authority failed to protect you from your abuser/s. more
If you are in an abusive relationship, you are entitled to seek an occupation order so you can make your partner move out of the family home or gain access to the property if they have barred you from it. more
If you are in a violent relationship with aspects of physical, emotional or mental abuse, you are entitled to seek a non-molestation order to keep your abuser away from you and your children. more
No one wants to believe that their marriage will not last forever. However, a third of marriages end and financial negotiations in divorce proceedings can be devastating emotionally for both adults and children if they turn nasty. A pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreement allows couples to negotiate how they will split their finances before relations sour; therefore, if the marriage does fall apart, there is a pre-agreed document to refer to when splitting marital assets. more
If you are in immediate danger, please call 999 immediately. A forced marriage is where a marriage takes place under duress, without the full consent of both parties entering into it. Both males and females can be subject to forced marriages, which are illegal under UK law. more
When a relationship involving children breaks-up, the most important consideration for the parents is the making arrangements to ensure the best interests of the children are maintained. In the UK, parents are strongly encouraged by the Courts to try and come to an agreement between themselves on where the children should live and how often the non-custodial parent can visit them. If they cannot come together on certain issues, mediation will be arranged, which involves an impartial third-party facilitating an agreement between the couple. more
The abduction of a child is every parent’s worst nightmare. When most people think of the term ‘child abduction’, they imagine someone leading their child away from a park or a shopping mall when they have turned their back for a moment. However, this is not the case. The vast majority of child abductions occur when one parent, who is a foreign national, removes a child from the UK. If you have separated from the Mother or Father of your child and you are concerned that they may try to remove them from the country, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent this from happening. more
The procedure for getting a divorce in the United Kingdom is relatively straight-forward. This page has been created to give you an overview of the process and what to expect. more
Your first encounter with the US justice system may come when you are facing a divorce, except for the few times you appeared in court for violating traffic laws. Without a doubt, dealing with attorneys, courts, and the United States’ large legal system can be a daunting task. In order to prepare yourself for what is to come and enhance your confidence, you should increase your knowledge of the basics of the divorce law in the US, and the legal procedures required to get a divorce. Read on to increase your basic understanding of the US divorce laws and processes. more