The number of people getting married in England and Wales has reached its lowest since 1838. Weddings fell by 60 percent in 2020, a figure that will have been influenced by restrictions and lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The average age of those who did marry was 33 for Read more…
After separation, your child or children will need both parents to be actively involved and interested. If you can’t always be there, think about letters, Skype, phone calls, sending photos, and asking questions. Both parents should be involved in the children’s education regarding school plays and parent evenings. Reassure your Read more…
Mediation could become mandatory in all suitable family court cases. This means separating couples must try to agree on their child custody and financial arrangements through a Family Mediator. This could also reduce the backlogs in the family courts that have built up due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Couples work Read more…
The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme is being extended until April 2025. It provides separating couples with vouchers worth up to £500 towards the cost of family or divorce mediation. This is costing the government another £15 million. So far, the scheme has supported over 15,000 families. Nearly 70 percent of Read more…
The number of people applying to get divorced is now at its highest in ten years. It’s feared that the cost of living puts marriages under financial strain. That contrasts starkly with 2021 having the lowest level of divorces for twenty years. This increase is also being put down to Read more…
In a recent BBC Radio 4 interview, Sir Andrew McFarlane’s frustration was palpable. This reflected the view of many of his colleagues and family professionals about the number of parents ending up in the court system. In 2020, a report by the Family Solutions Group found the family justice Read more…
Family law cases are taking longer to resolve than during the Covid restrictions. The government says mediation is the solution, but removing legal aid for most private law family cases means many couples are not even aware it exists. Legal aid cuts have also increased the number of couples without Read more…
The biggest shake-up in divorce law for over 50 years has come into force. These groundbreaking reforms introduce the concept of a “no-fault” divorce. The Divorce, Dissolution, and Separation Act (2020) aims to reduce conflict between separating couples. It means that they will no longer have to apportion blame for Read more…