Child Relocation

When your relationship ends, you and your ex may well have different ideas about your respective futures, and those ideas will naturally affect your children. This can be particularly challenging when one partner wishes to move away from their current location, either to another location within the UK or indeed wish to move abroad.

No matter how amicable the separation, child relocation can prove to be a very difficult step to consider emotionally for either parent, especially if it is something imposed out of the parent’s control, such as redundancy or a change of job, or due to a parent meeting a new partner who lives far away, or a parent wishing to have a fresh start somewhere new.

All situations are unique: circumstances will differ for each family. There is no presumption in favour of a move where it might be said a child is living with a parent who is the “main carer” and similarly no presumption against such a move if care is shared. Whatever your situation, the Family Court is clear that any such decision needs to be determined in accordance with what is the child’s best interests, rather the wishes of the parents, and it does this by applying the “welfare checklist” section 1(3) Children Act 1989, which includes, but is not limited to: the ascertainable wishes and feelings of the child; the child’s physical, emotional and educational needs; the likely effect of any change in circumstances, and the range of powers available to the Court.

If you are considering any of the issues outlined above, we strongly advise you to consult the services of an experienced family lawyer. Please contact our team today on 03333 058375, or email family@psg-law.co.uk We are here to help you.

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