Family Law Solicitors
Legal matters involving children often involve high-running emotions and can be complex. Getting child law advice from experienced and empathetic solicitors like us can help deliver an outcome that has your child’s best interests at heart.
Head of Family & Partner
It’s always best if arrangements for children can be made directly between the parents. If this is possible, our specialist child law solicitors can draft a Parenting Plan setting out the agreements reached and, where appropriate, a draft order for the court’s approval.
If you need help in reaching a solution, we can advise you on the options for resolving matters including through solicitors’ correspondence, mediation and arbitration, roundtable meetings and other forms of dispute resolution. We can also provide child law advice to suit your situation.
We are friendly and approachable team of highly experienced child law solicitors. Please contact us to see how we can assist and to arrange an informal call.
Below are just some of the matters we’ve provided child law advice on in the past. If your specific issue isn’t listed, or you want to discuss things further, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Other ways we can help
Call one of our team to discuss starting and financing your divorce application, your rights and how we can support you through this distressing time in your life.
Head of Family & Partner
Sometimes it may be necessary to issue a court application when deciding arrangements for your children after a separation. In all cases, we try to focus on preserving a positive co-parenting relationship, whilst considering the legal routes for resolving the issues, We always prioritise the best interests of your children. Our child law solicitors have extensive experience in all areas of children law proceedings, including complex cases where there are serious allegations of abuse and the involvement of agencies, such as social services.
There are three main orders available through the court under the Children Act 1989 to deal with disputes about children: a Child Arrangements Order, Prohibited Steps Order and Specific Issue Order.
A Child Arrangements Order deals with the issues which previously used to be called Residence and Contact. The Order sets out:
Within the Court Order, under a section known as Recitals, parents can also agree any other matters they feel are relevant, such as issues around schooling, a child’s belongings etc.
A Prohibited Steps Order is used to limit when certain parental rights and duties can be exercised, for example, preventing a child from being removed from school or being taken abroad. Once a Prohibited Steps Order is made, the other parent is prevented from taking that step without the consent of the court.
If you can’t agree on a decision relating to your child’s care, aside from contact and who they live with, you will have to issue an application for a Specific Issue Order.
These applications can deal with issues including:
We specialise in cases dealing with relocation and Leave to Remove, which require careful preparation, whether acting for the parent who wishes to move or the parent opposing this. We regularly successfully act for parents wishing to relocate and those responding to an application.
Consider asking yourself the following questions. If you answer ‘yes’ to any of them, there’s a good chance that you could benefit from specialist child law advice.
Please note that we do not hold a Legal Aid contract and are therefore unable to provide Legal Aid services. All family matters are undertaken on a privately funded basis only.
We’re highly regarded specialists and independently recognised as leaders in the field of Family Law by the Legal 500 and Chambers UK, who highlight the team as being ‘particularly known for its very high levels of client service.’
“My overall impression of the client service is excellent. The team is very responsive to emails, always providing timely updates and addressing any questions I have.”
“Very strong team for children work, particularly high-conflict, complex, and international private law children matters.”
The firm has won numerous awards across our nearly five decades in operation. Our work has been commended with a spot in The Times’ Best Law Firms in 2025.
Our aim is always to resolve disputes outside court by way of agreement. We can offer mediation and collaborative options. In our experience, solicitor-led negotiation most often results in a successful agreement. Of course, we are well-prepared to handle cases that do go to court and will support you every step of the way if this happens.
“At Hodge Jones & Allen, we recognise that child law requires a uniquely compassionate, child-focused approach. Every family situation is distinct, and we are committed to tailoring our advice to ensure that the child’s welfare is always at the forefront. Our priority is to provide empathetic, clear guidance that empowers families to navigate the complex legal processes, aiming to reach solutions that genuinely support children’s long-term best interests. With a personalised service and unwavering dedication, we stand by families every step of the way.”
Vanessa Friend, Head of Family Law & Partner
There is no one-size-fits-all approach and the cost would depend on your individual circumstances. We’ll take the time to fully understand your situation and needs, so our lawyers can provide you with a clear estimate, with transparency about the approach to costs.
For most Family Law matters, we would be able to offer a fixed fee consultation of £400 + VAT. We would ask for documentation and information from you beforehand, assess your case, and advise you of your position and the best course of action. You will also be able to ask all of your key questions at that meeting.
When making any decision, the court’s paramount consideration is the welfare of the child.
The court will always give the following three principles the highest priority:
The court will also have regard to the following criteria, which is called the Welfare Checklist:
Court fees vary depending on what type of application you are making. (October 2024). We can advise you on the cost of court fees.
Parental responsibility is defined in the Children Act 1989 as “all the rights, duties, powers and responsibilities and authority that, by law, a parent of a child has in relation to the child and their property.”
In practice, a person with parental responsibility is entitled to have a say in key decisions about a child’s life, such as:
A mother automatically has parental responsibility for her child from birth and will not lose it if she separates from the father or divorces. Married fathers automatically have parental responsibility and will not lose it if they divorce.
Unmarried fathers do not automatically have parental responsibility. However, they can acquire it in several ways, such as:
We frequently advise parents and individuals, including step-parents and grandparents, who wish to obtain parental responsibility.
Same-sex partners will both have parental responsibility if they were civil partners at the time of the child’s conception, if this was after 6 April 2009 e.g. donor insemination or fertility treatment.
For same-sex partners who are not civil partners, the 2nd parent can consider obtaining parental responsibility.
You do not always need to get the consent of the other parent for routine decisions relating to parental responsibility, even if they also have parental responsibility.
If it’s a major decision – for example, one of you wants to move abroad with the children – all individuals with parental responsibility must give their consent or it will be necessary to apply to court for a Specific Issue Order or a Prohibited Steps Order.
Hodge Jones & Allen family solicitors have been recognised as one of Chambers and Partners‘ top firms. We’re also noted by the Legal 500 for our commitment to excellence. You can rest assured that our team are highly experienced in handling even the toughest family law cases.
Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors is proud of the many positive testimonials that we receive, reinforced by our ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot. Please read through what some of our clients have had to say about their experience with our legal teams.
