Family and children

News, advice and information on issues around children and family law, including relationship breakdown and children in the context of divorce or separation, plus children in public law and cross-border disputes.

Resources

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Civil legal aid applications – tips for providers05 May 2021
Cohabitation agreements13 Mar 2019
Consent order guidance20 Nov 2019
Divorce after Brexit25 Mar 2021
Domestic violence after Brexit25 Mar 2021
Exceptional Case Funding – guidance for solicitors10 Oct 2019
Litigants in person: guidelines for lawyers04 Jun 2015
Maintenance after Brexit25 Mar 2021
Our family legal aid policy position08 Nov 2021
Private children law after Brexit22 Mar 2021
Private family law after Brexit22 Mar 2021
Public children law after Brexit22 Mar 2021
Transparency in the family courts04 Mar 2020

The impact of legal aid capital and contribution thresholds for victims of domestic violence28 Sep 2018

Acting in the absence of a children's guardian02 Dec 2019
Attendance of solicitors at local authority Children Act meetings07 May 2021
Changes to the evidence requirements for legal aid funding in private law family cases (domestic violence gateway)25 Apr 2018
Court duty scheme for private law family clients30 Jun 2022

Can I enter into a damages-based agreement for a divorce case?11 May 2020
Does my client have to attend a directions hearing?07 Jul 2021
How do I apply to come off the court record?25 Jan 2021
Is there a lower age limit on children giving evidence?14 Dec 2020
My client does not want to disclose their address in proceedings. What do I need to do?22 Jan 2021
Who’s responsible for the cost of setting up a remote hearing?28 Dec 2020

Care proceedings document templates03 Apr 2020
Education – legal aid deserts07 Jun 2022
FAQ: Varying the terms of a consent order27 Apr 2016
Family Law Protocol04 Dec 2020
Family law forms23 Jun 2020
Private law prescribed order templates17 Apr 2020
Public law prescribed order templates02 Apr 2020
Templates for instructing experts in family and children court proceedings06 Apr 2020

Domestic Abuse Act 202102 Jun 2021
No-fault divorce05 Apr 2022
Reform of the law on making a will14 Apr 2021

Early legal advice

We’re campaigning for legal aid to be reintroduced for early legal advice, particularly in family and housing law.

News and articles

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Family and children
Blog

Empathy and sensitivity: a new approach for no-fault divorce

No-fault divorce is the biggest shake up in family law for decades and involves a whole new set of…

24 Mar 2022

Civil legal aid
News

Extending legal aid to all kinship carers

More legal aid provision is needed to help families and friends to look after children and avoid them having to go into care.

30 Jun 2022

Family and children
Press release

Backlogs and delays still plague family law court system

Children who could be placed in the care of their local authority are facing delays of almost a year for their cases to be started, according to the latest family court data.

30 Jun 2022

International
News

Law Society joins Hague Conference on Private International Law

In spring 2022, the Law Society of England and Wales became an observer member of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH).

28 Jun 2022

Family and children
Press release

Spike in ‘no-fault’ divorce applications

Newly published statistics for April 2021 to April 2022, show more than 12,000 new divorce applications were filed as ‘no-fault’ divorce came into effect.

10 Jun 2022

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