Children

When Families Lose Contact with children

When relationships break down, the impact can be far-reaching. Parents, grandparents — sometimes even close family friends — can find themselves unexpectedly cut off from children they deeply care about. It’s an incredibly tough experience, not just for the adults, but especially for the children caught in the middle.

We’re here to help. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, or another family member, our Family Team can support you in securing an agreement — or where necessary, a Court Order — about where children should live, and how much time they spend with each part of their family.

You might have heard the old terms like “custody” and “access” before — or “residence” and “contact.” These days, we talk about Child Arrangements, and more specifically, who the child lives with and who they spend time with. The words have changed, but the heart of the issue hasn’t: doing what’s best for the child.

Sometimes, it’s not just where a child lives that causes disagreement. Decisions about health, education, or safeguarding can also lead to conflict between those who share Parental Responsibility. These aren’t easy conversations — but they’re important ones. Our team has extensive experience guiding families through them, always with a focus on practical, child-centred solutions.

We’ll try to reach agreement through negotiation or mediation wherever possible. That’s usually better for everyone involved, especially the children. But when agreement simply isn’t possible, we won’t shy away from going to Court to protect your rights — and theirs. If it comes to that, we’ll be with you every step of the way, handling the legal process sensitively and firmly.

Real Cases, Real Results

Grandparents granted Special Guardianship

We supported a pair of grandparents seeking stability for their toddler grandson, after concerns that his parents were unable to provide proper care. With our help, they secured a Special Guardianship Order — giving them legal responsibility and ensuring the child remained within his family, rather than entering foster care. The grandparents also received financial support from the local authority (comparable to that offered to foster carers), and the final Order allowed for regular, managed contact with the child’s parents. It was a difficult situation, but one that led to a safe, balanced outcome for everyone — especially the child.

Supervised contact in complex learning disability case

In another case, we acted for a mother whose former partner applied for a Child Arrangements Order concerning their two children, both with significant learning difficulties. She had serious concerns about his ability to meet their complex needs. Ultimately, the Court appointed independent experts — including a solicitor and medical professionals — to fully understand the children’s best interests. A final agreement allowed for supervised contact with the father, giving the children an opportunity to maintain a relationship with him in a safe environment, while preserving the security of their home life with their mother.

Start with a Free Consultation

We offer a free initial consultation (up to 30 minutes) to help you understand your options and talk through what matters most to you. If you’d like to speak to someone about your situation, give us a call on 01285 650000 and ask to speak to a member of our Family Team.

We’re here to listen, advise, and act — with compassion and clarity..

View Sarah Pugh’s Article on Resolution