Youngsters Are Affected By Disputes

A family law expert has called for parents who are in the process of separating to not make their children the focal point of their court battle.

Elizabeth Hicks of Irwin Mitchell made the call after top family court judge Sir Nicholas Wall claimed the welfare of young ones can be at stake when couples going through a divorce use them as “both the battlefield and ammunition”.

The judge also suggested that parents often did not realise the impact that their battles can have on children.

According to Elizabeth Hicks, a range of options mean that adults can ensure that their offspring are not put at the centre of their disputes.

She said: “When parents separate, children are always affected. However, with the advent of mediation, collaborative law and Parenting after Parting, separation does not have to mean that children are embroiled in a battle between their parents. 

“More and more parents realise that working together to have a better relationship for the sake of their children is the best way forward.

“This does not mean being weak or financially prejudiced in the divorce but rather looking at practical solutions where the children come first. This is the Court’s guiding principle in any event.”