The breakdown of a relationship is always difficult, particularly so when children are involved, and an expert guide is an essential consideration

Separation and divorce create a brand-new set of circumstances for you and your children. Berwins is fully committed to you through those important issues and decisions to ensure the best possible outcome for you and your family.

Our experienced family law team will assist you on a range of areas in relation to divorce and child custody, providing expert advice on the best options available to you as parents, to help protect the needs of your children and safeguard your parental rights.

There are a number of factors that need to be considered in the event of a divorce, but the most significant issues that need to be addressed are:

• Child Arrangement – Orders are legal agreements that are made to ensure the child’s living arrangements are made in their best interests. The order covers where your child will live, how often they will spend time with each parent, and any other types of contact that will be allowed, such as phone calls, and when these will take place.
• Maintenance – If you and your partner have children, you are both expected to contribute payments towards their costs after separation, and there are a number of ways in which this can be arranged. Some couples will opt for private family-based agreements, in which a fee will be agreed upon independently, and one party will pay the other. In these cases, it is advisable to use the Child Maintenance Service to calculate it for you, to ensure the payments are fair. Courts only have jurisdiction to deal with maintenance in specific circumstances or by agreement.
• Parental Responsibility – A parent’s parental responsibility means that both parents are jointly responsible for big decisions that affect their children, including schooling and religious upbringing. When any big decisions regarding the children are made, one parent needs to consult the other. If parents cannot agree on a decision together, they will need to obtain an order from the court.