Children Disputes

When a relationship ends, it is often the children who are most affected. There are a whole variety of family law issues and challenges to face in regards to any children involved, whether it’s a disagreement over their new living arrangements or even which country they should live. Equally, concerns over the wellbeing of the children with one or both parents (e.g. through drug or alcohol use) create safeguarding issues that must be dealt with to protect their safety.

When these challenges cannot be resolved privately, it is often the choice of the parent(s) to enlist the support of their solicitors, particularly in cases where the safety of the child is at risk. Whether you have problems with residence, contact, parental responsibility or any other family law issues relating to children, we can help you with high quality legal advice.

How Cheesemans Solicitors can help you with children disputes:

Out of court settlements
We can communicate with your partner or their representative to achieve an outcome outside of the courts, whether that be by a written Parenting Plan (a child custody plan), or undertakings (a promise by an individual to the court not to act in the way they have been accused of, though not an admission of guilt).
Alternatively, we can refer you to a family mediator if you would prefer to be heard with an unbiased third party present.

Court intervention
In more extenuating circumstances, we can apply to the courts for:

Emergency Protection Order (EPO)

Non-molestation Orders

Occupation Orders

Section 8 Applications for matters such as Child Arrangements (e.g. contact and residence, more commonly known as ‘custody’)

Specific Issue Order (e.g. what school the child should go to)

Whether the child should go abroad with a parent to live

Prohibited Steps Order (e.g. for those with fears a child will be taken by the other parent without their permission)

We can advise you on your family law rights as a parent; whether you have Parental Responsibility and if not, we can advise you on how to get it.


If you would like to speak to one of our professional, knowledgeable, friendly solicitors, please contact us today.