Knowledge and resources

In these difficult times arrangements in nearly every aspect of life are changing rapidly. This will include living and contact arrangements for the children of separated parents. If possible, parents will need to work together to agree necessary changes.

As demographic and social change mean more grandparents getting involved in active parenting, what are their rights and what issues should family lawyers be looking out for?

Anyone reading the headlines of a number of broadsheet newspapers over the past couple of years could be forgiven for thinking that there is an imminent change of law to give grandparents greater rights in relation to their grandchildren. The truth is that no such change is expected in the near future, despite pressure from interested groups.

An update in The Review on the parenting workshops and outreach programmes run by Kids Come First.

In this article from The Review Edward Cooke analyses the activity of the private children law working group put together by the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane.

The Help & Support for Separated Families Mark (HSSF Mark) identifies professionals who promote collaboration between parents.

A review of the Child Arrangements Programme PD 12B: Report to the President of the Family Division by the Private Law Working Group

The fundamental rule in this jurisdiction is that the responsibility of a parent as regards the person and upbringing of a child is unaffected by domicile or nationality.

To the extent that there is a codified jurisdictional rule in England & Wales, it is found in Chapter II of the Family Law Act 1986 (FLA 1986). Never the easiest piece of legislative drafting, the Act has grown increasingly more cumbersome through successive amendments to take account of various international instruments concerned with jurisdiction.

A workshop at the Dispute Resolution Conference 2018 explained the role of parental co-ordinators and encouraged participants to think about undertaking the training needed to become one themselves. In this article John Darnton reviews the session run by Gillian Bishop and Felicity Sheddon.

Listen to the Children Update presented at Resolution's National Conference 2019 by Elspeth Thomson and Samantha Little (5th April 2019).

The Children Committee works to protect children in the family justice system and help members put children at the centre of family justice.

The Parenting After Parting Committee develops the Resolution approach for practitioners working with parents so that, ultimately, parents will receive the same standard of care and support from any Resolution practitioner

This is the Children Update presented at Resolution's National Conference 2018 in Bristol by Elspeth Thomson and Samantha Little (20th April 2018).