The last year and a half has been challenging for all of us. If your relationship has been impacted by Covid and you have been hanging on until your children are back in School in September – and hopefully able to have a more normal school experience this coming academic year – you may decide that now is the time to seek advice as to how to separate and the important factors you need to consider. There are a number of aspects to separation and these are as follows:-
- How to formalise your decision to separate;
If you are married then we discuss options with you to include whether you intend to divorce now, or enter into a separation agreement now and divorce at a later point. We discuss the pros and cons of each option with you.
- Arrangements for the care of your children;
As mediators we can help tailor parenting plans to suit your situation, assist with improving communication and help you to move forward with a different family situation. If you have children who are aged 9 or over then our child inclusive mediator, Sally Clark, can speak to your children to give them a voice in the process, if that would be appropriate and helpful to your situation.
If you have concerns regarding the safety of your children and/or you find your ex partner’s behaviour very challenging then we will very robustly act with you to achieve the best outcome your children and for you.
- Financial arrangements
If you are married then it is very important that you have a financial agreement which is legally binding to protect you going forwards. However you resolve financial issues the very first stage of that process involves the exchange of financial information. This is vital so that we can help you and advise you to make informed decisions as to what would be the best outcome for you. There are various methods of resolving financial issues. These include:-
- Family mediation
- Negotiations between solicitors
- Arbitration
- Through the Court process
We will discuss each option with you and agree with you how best to proceed.
It is important to speak to a specialist family lawyer so that you can discuss your options and then start to make informed decisions.
Separation is very much a process and we are here to guide you through it.
We are experienced litigators, mediators and collaborative practitioners. Our team have many years of experience and are equipped to assist in any situation.
We offer free half hour appointments on a face to face and on-line appointments to suit your needs. For more information please contact us now on enquiries@barnesclarkfamily.law or 01423 637272 (Harrogate) or 01273 861096 (Liversedge).