Children

When a relationship breaks down, maintaining an amicable relationship can be challenging, especially when it comes to making provisions for your children.

Our family team have extensive experience in finding the right solutions in order to preserve a co-operative approach to parenting. It is best for any child that it is those who care for them that make decisions regarding their welfare.

Nevertheless, sometimes not all issues regarding a child’s welfare can be agreed and for this reason Court proceedings, as a last resort, have to be explored. Our family team are highly experienced in Court proceedings and because of this offer a high service in providing support, advice and representation that you may require during such proceedings. 

Our team will be able to advise you on any aspect of a child’s welfare including:

  • Child maintenance
  • Parental responsibility
  • Whom a child shall live with
  • Contact arrangements
  • Child relocation (whether within England and Wales or abroad)

Why choose our children law solicitors?

We offer an initial appointment of £125.00 plus VAT during which our family lawyer will discuss your requirements, explain your options and advise on the likely costs involved.

Our family lawyer is a member of Resolution, a network of family lawyers committed to removing unnecessary conflict from family law. This reflects our commitment to helping clients deal with their legal issues in a constructive, non-confrontational way.

From our local offices in Hoddesdon and Broxbourne, we work with clients across Hertfordshire, plus a growing number of clients throughout England, Wales and abroad.

Our team are happy to speak over the phone, via email or through videoconferencing for your safety and convenience.

Speak to our family lawyer for child law advice in Hoddesdon or Broxbourne

For a friendly, informal discussion about how our family lawyer can help you with any aspect of children law, please get in touch:

How we can help you make the right arrangements for your children

Child maintenance agreements

We can advise you on what support you are entitled to claim or will need to pay for your children following divorce or separation. Where there is the need for enhanced support, such as to pay for school fees, we can assist you with negotiating a bespoke agreement with your children’s other parent in an amicable way.

Should there be any issues with your former partner failing to pay child maintenance, we can advise you on your options, including initiating court proceedings where required.

Making voluntary child arrangements

When it comes to deciding where your children will live, what contact they will have with each parent and other arrangements for their upbringing, making an amicable agreement between both parents is usually in everyone’s best interests.

Our family law team can assist with constructive discussions between parents to agree child arrangements, as well as advising on the use of alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation, where appropriate.

Court proceedings for Child Arrangements Orders

If you are unable to reach a suitable agreement on child arrangements, our team can assist you on the process of going to court to seek a Child Arrangements Order. This will mean that a court will decide where your children will live, what contact they will have with each parent and any other essential arrangements.

Our child law experts can advise you on the process for making a court application, the likely outcomes and the costs involved. We can then make sure you have the best possible representation for any hearings that take place.

Parental responsibility

When dealing with any child law issues, a key factor to consider is who has ‘parental responsibility’ for the child or children in question. Having parental responsibility means you are legally required to provide for a child and you also have the right to be involved in decisions about their upbringing.

While birth mothers automatically have parental responsibility for a child (unless the child has been put up for adoption or taken into care), other parents may or may not have it, depending on the circumstances.

Our team can advise you on whether you have parental responsibility and the process for acquiring it where required. This can either happen through agreement with everyone else who has parental responsibility for a child or through a court order if necessary.

Child relocation

Should you need to move to another part of the UK or abroad with your child, or your former partner is planning such a move, it can have a big impact on the parent left behind. Such decisions should always be made in consultation with both parents where possible, which is something our team will be happy to facilitate.

If you/your former partner are planning a move abroad with your children, everyone with parental responsibility will normally need to agree to the move. If necessary, it may be possible to apply to a court for permission to take your children abroad if their other parent is objecting unreasonably. It may also be possible to apply to a court to prevent your children being taken abroad without your consent if required.

Our child law pricing

Fixed child law services

Some matters can be dealt with on a fixed fee basis, where appropriate, meaning you know the exact cost involved at the outset.

Hourly rates for children law advice

For more complex work, we will typically work to an agreed hourly rate. We will provide a realistic estimate of costs and keep you updated about expenditure, so you always remain in control of the costs involved.

Speak to our family lawyer for child law advice in Hoddesdon or Broxbourne

For a friendly, informal discussion about how our family lawyers can help you with any aspect of children law, please get in touch:

 

What our clients say

  • "No improvement to service needed. Alison was the epitome of professional calm in going over options and maintaining patience, and indeed advised against a path that certainly would have achieved higher fees for her, but the correct call in retrospect. So I feel her advice was professional and unbiased. She was attentive in keeping me appraised of news, and maintained a polite and stress free approach which kept me calm and optimistic a final result in my favour would occur. Would recommend her, and the firm, to others." Anon
  • “Dealt with Alison primarily for Power of Attorney, very helpful and polite.” Anon
  • “I cannot think of any way that we could have had better service!!!” Anon
  • "Our solicitor has been extremely conscientious at all times, always available to advise and above all has always been very supportive and empathetic to my case. He really did make a stressful situation a lot easier for myself and my family" Mrs T
  • "We used this wonderful firm for a recent home sale and purchase, their service was outstanding. Everything was carried out with the utmost care and attention and all the staff including a senior Partner were so friendly and helpful. Absolutely top notch." Anon
  • "Over the past 8 years Teresa Braddon and her team have created my Will and have done numerous conveyancing transactions for myself and my family.  I have found Teresa and her Team most helpful and efficient. Everything was carried out with care and attention. All the staff including Teresa, a senior Partner, were friendly and helpful. I would recommend Braddon and Snow and their services." Tony Stavrou
  • "I would highly recommend Braddon & Snow to anybody, very professional and efficient service. They treat you like a person rather than just a number. I am mentally disabled and sometimes I do not get respect or understanding shown to me. Braddon & Snow couldn’t of been more kind and they always took the time to explain all the legal terminology to me so I understood. I would especially like to thank Emily Morten and Jane Blackett as they really went above and beyond what they had to. Value for money and excellent staff. Use this company."  Mr M Brooke
  • "Thank you all so very much for all your help and kindest attention over the years.   In every conceivable way you go out of your way, above and beyond any expectations. You are incredible, and all your team are unbelievably pleasant. I hope these few lines go a little way to thank you so very much."  Mr M Ledger
  • "May I say that Laya has been fantastic.  She has been an absolute delight to speak with, always giving clear and positive instructions and pacifying when necessary.  Please be assured we will definitely recommend your company and hopefully be in a position to use your services again and again." L Page
  • "We found dealing with Braddon & Snow very pleasant and relaxed.  We had a few problems dealing with the seller's leaseholder solicitors which needed a lot of patience and Teresa and Laya were very helpful at all times and very easy to communicate with." R & J Keith
  • It’s been an absolute delight and superb to work your Conveyance Team of Jane Blackett and Emily, providing first class services. Dedicated and smart resolutions to most difficult queries. Our sincerest and dearest appreciation for their magnificent services and friendly communication throughout
  • I appreciate the efficiency of your team (Louise, Sara, Elle, Melanie, Alex, Lauren etc) during this crisis. You were always easy to get and had a great phone forwarding system with access to the details on transactions. Everybody was very helpful, responsive and friendly. You can be proud of the company you work for. 
  • I cannot speak highly enough of the service given to me in the sale and purchase of my properties last week by Jane Blackett and Ken Sheppard at the Broxbourne office. They dealt with my matters promptly and with care and commitment. Nothing was too much trouble and they were always there to speak to me when needed. Everything was done with professionalism and courtesy. They ensured that everything was covered and I felt very confident in their dealings with all matters concerned. I recommend them without hesitation to give their clients a smooth and excellent service.
  • The best thing throughout this process was the professionalism shown by the Conveyancing Team at Braddon and Snow Solicitors, our case was handled by Melanie and her very able assistant Roksana.  Although we were frustrated and sometimes very ratty, they kept very calm and dealt with all of our enquiries and problems as they came along, most of all they kept us advised and up to date.  We in all honesty could not have asked for or been supported any better by these two Ladies. Towards the end, we were calling Roksana on a regular daily basis, and were delighted to hear her positive and cheerful friendly voice.  I would highly recommend these Ladies to anyone, unlike the Firm that they were dealing with, who would not even respond to their calls.