The summer is fast approaching so if you haven’t already you should discuss the arrangements for contact with your children over the summer holidays.

Many separated couples are able to agree the arrangements for the absent parent to have contact with their children on a regular basis throughout the year and the specific arrangements for contact over the extended summer school holidays.

Unfortunately some separated parents are unable to agree the pattern of contact and if you are one who has yet to firm up the arrangements over the summer holiday you must start thinking about it now.

If you want contact with your children during the summer and your ex partner says no or is offering less contact than you would like you should seek legal advice.

The first step is always to try to reach an agreement directly with the other parent but if that is unsuccessful you should seek legal advice.

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Thank you to Purple House Clinic in Rugby for this blog.

Divorce

Divorce has been found to be one of the most stressful life experiences, along with the death of a spouse(Holmes and Rahe 1967). It therefore makes sense that there would be a significant adjustment process following a divorce, as might be expected following a significant bereavement. The adjustment process will be impacted by a number of factors including the circumstances around the end of the relationship. These might include infidelity, abusive behaviour, drug or alcohol issues, infertility, physical illness, differences in parenting style, different values or beliefs, sexual difficulties, communication difficulties or ‘drifting apart’ because other life priorities have made it difficult to invest time and effort into a relationship.

The Adjustment Model

Initially developed by Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross (1967) in relation to terminal illness and bereavement, this model provides a framework to understand the process we might go through following the

Our Amy Trevellick talks about what happens to your pets upon separation and whether a pet nup is right for you.

With the increase of pet ownership since the start of the pandemic, many people are now asking “what will happen to our pets if we separate?”. Of course, anyone who owns a pet will know that they soon become part of the family. It is therefore difficult to explain to client’s that their pets will only be considered a “chattel”, much in the same way as the furniture in their home, or their personal possessions. Unfortunately, the law has not developed in this area to keep up with the modern family owning domestic pets, and so this outdated approach remains in place.

When it comes to deciding the ownership of “chattels”, the law will consider who bought the item in the first instance. Insofar as this applies to pets, ownership is

Our Francine Bristo deals with the importance of discussing financial matters with your partner or spouse.

Most couples don’t make the time to have a conversation about the finances because it can lead to increased tension and arguments.  Money is emotional, evoking feelings of shame, fear, anger and frustration.  It is no wonder that people avoid talking about money and what would happen in the event of their relationship ending.  Ignoring these issues whilst they are small however, allows them to grow into larger problems.  There is nothing worse than dealing with the emotion of money combined with the emotion of separation.   It is better to discuss the finances and what would happen if you were to separate whilst you are on good terms.  Conversations help avoid misunderstandings and later upset.  It is useful for everyone to clarify the terms of your financial relationship so that you each understand the expectations,

The summer holidays are nearly upon us, and that can mean challenges for separated and divorced parents.  Unlike Christmas, or half term, the holidays are long, and tension can pop up in all sorts of places.  As well as actually holidays, there are also childcare, back to school and financial issues to take into account.

However forewarned is forearmed, and some thought and planning will allow you to manage six weeks relatively unscathed.

First the good news.  Separated parents can divide time between them.  Whereas before, a summer holiday would be taken together, now you will be taking separate holidays and spending time with your children alone.  This can often take up 4 of the 6 weeks, which can be a distinct advantage.

It’s not all plain sailing though, and issues can arise. Here are some tips on how you can avoid them.

Advanced planning

You should have already decided when your children will be

A survey of Members of Parliament has revealed that 69% agree there is a mistaken belief in the existence of ‘common law marriage’ and that 57% believe the law needs to be changed to provide greater protection for unmarried couples upon separation.

The survey was commissioned by Resolution and it reveals that cohabitation is the fastest growing family type in the UK, yet there is little or no protection for couples should they separate. In 2012, there were 5.9m people cohabiting in the UK, double the 1996 figure.  Responding to the survey’s findings, Steve Kirwan, who leads Resolution’s work on cohabitation, said:

“This poll of MPs confirms the findings of a public survey in 2008, in which 51% of respondents believed, incorrectly, that cohabitants had the same rights as married couples”

For advice on Living Together Agreements or your potential claims upon separation from your partner please contact Amanda Weaver by email or telephone.

Research undertaken by Kingston University in London has found that women become much more happy and satisfied with their lives after their divorce.

The study published in the journal Economica showed that women are significantly more content than usual for up to five years following their divorce, even more so than their own average level of happiness throughout their lives.

The study surveyed 10 000 people in the UK between the ages of 16 and 60. The participants were asked to rate their happiness after major milestones in their lives.  Men also felt happier after their divorce but the increase was not so marked.

The Director of the study Professor Yannis Georgellis commented “One possible explanation could be that women who enter into an unhappy marriage feel much more liberated after divorce than their male counterparts”.

For advice on divorce or separation please contact Amanda Weaver on 01788 555042 or amandaweaver@newleafsolicitors.co.uk

If you are thinking about divorce or separation an initial meeting to discuss your options can really help put your mind at ease.  You should know what options are available to you and what your potential claims regarding money will be so that when you and your partner or spouse discuss ending the relationship you will know what you are entitled to and how best to proceed.

We can see you outside of office hours, if you wish as we understand that you may not be able or want to take time off work during the day.  If you want an appointment at the weekend we can book you in.

We also have Skype so you can have a face to face meeting without the need to travel to our office.

Our office is in Rugby and we are ideally situated for clients who live in Daventry or Coventry or in the surrounding villages.

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