When it comes to divorce and separation, where children are involved, Lucy Hoare explains how the team at LMP promote a child-focussed approach, incorporating a high degree of sensitivity and creative problem solving, in order to protect the welfare of children involved.
Prior to a first meeting with a family lawyer, parents do not always appreciate that they both share responsibilities to their children, which are ongoing until the child reaches adulthood. Too often, the focus is on what “rights” each parent should have.
At LMP, we seek to resolve childcare disputes in a constructive way, always working with our clients to keep the needs of the children at the forefront of the process. We recognise that all too often, our clients feel that the other party is focussing on conflict between the parents and the reasons for the relationship breaking down resulting in frequently uneven emotional positions with one parent driving the process for the other to reluctantly follow. This can result in the children being caught in the crossfire of a relationship breakdown.
We recognise the huge responsibility we have as family law professionals as to how we support and work with our clients going through separation and what options we give them to best help their family and where possible keep them outside of court. By encouraging a less adversarial approach—shifting the focus away from what each parent wants and towards what their children need— there can be a real opportunity for families to continue to thrive, even after a relationship has ended. It also empowers the parents by putting them in the driving seat when making decisions for their children, as opposed to a Judge who has usually never met their children.
When children can be placed at the heart of decisions during a divorce, it creates the possibility of a positive family future. Parents, though no longer together as a couple, can still come together to share and enjoy the important moments in their children’s lives for years to come — remaining a family, even if they are no longer partners.
For more on our services in relation to children, click here.