Sometimes you and your ex-partner may not be able to agree about specific important events or decisions concerning your children.
You may have different ideas about where your children should go to school or whether they should have a particular medical procedure. You may not agree if one parent wants to relocate with the child either within or outside of England and Wales.
If you haven’t been able to agree via either direct discussion or mediation you may need a solicitor to engage in amicable focused negotiations to try and reach a decision before applying to the Family Court.
If negotiations or mediation are unsuccessful then an application under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 for a Specific Issue Order or a Prohibited Steps Order may be required.
A Specific Issue Order application will lead to the Judge deciding a specific question such as which school a child should attend or where they should live.
A Prohibited Steps Order prevents something from happening such as a child being unilaterally removed from a school without the consent of the Court.
A Prohibited Steps Order may need to be made on an urgent basis, or without notice to the other parent, for example if you have good reason to believe that they intend to remove the child from the country without your agreement.
If you are considering making this type of application then we suggest you contact us on 01632 960214 to discuss your options and make sure you are fully prepared.