Your Children and the Law
Dorset flagship pilot scheme
From the beginning of March 2022, Dorset and North Wales are participating in a government-approved pilot scheme to streamline applications to the court for child arrangements, if parents cannot agree on how their children share their time between their separate homes.
The purpose is to prevent long, expensive, and acrimonious court cases between warring parents.
Undoubtedly, the emotional impact on your children can be devastating when parents separate and argue. The children are often the ones most affected by the lasting negative impact.
So, for the first time, when the court receives an application concerning child arrangements:
- Initial ‘gatekeeping’ will check whether mediation is appropriate and has been attempted;
- A case progression officer (CPO) will contact the parents and explain what happens next;
- A child impact report (CIR) will be prepared;
- If appropriate, the local authority, the police, and other relevant organisations can become involved in conducting risk and safeguarding assessments.
- Parents can also be ’signposted’ to specifically skilled organisations in the community (outside the court) to see if they can help;
- A Family Court judge will still be involved to make decisions if necessary.
Even at the end of the process when hopefully all is settled with a plan, the court can review this for you say between 3 and 12 months afterwards if it helps the children and parents.
All of this is child-centred. The court wants to help parents avoid the situation where all logic is lost through emotion at what is obviously a difficult time and to help steer parents and their children through to the future more positively than the current Family Court system.
If you’re a parent going through a separation or divorce and are struggling to come to an agreement on child arrangements, you may be interested in our free 30-minute consultation.
During this consultation, our experienced family law experts will listen to your concerns and discuss your legal options to help you find a solution that works for you and your children. We understand that family law issues can be emotionally charged, and our team is committed to providing you with practical advice and support every step of the way.
So, whether you’re looking to start the court application process or seeking guidance on alternative dispute resolution methods, we’re here to help. Don’t hesitate to book your free consultation today and take the first step toward resolving your family law issues.