Care and contact (custody and access)

As a parent you may have to make difficult decisions about your children while you go through a separation, and afterwards.

These are often the biggest issues facing parents who separate. It can be difficult to find the right balance for your children and for each parent.

How do you decide where or with whom your children will live? How often will you see your children? What involvement will you each have with important decisions affecting your children? Perhaps one of you wants to move away with your child or children.

It can be very difficult to agree to the best way forward. Reaching agreement amicably is important for the future well being of your children.

There are of course times when court intervention is necessary. I can assist with applications to the court.

Applications involving parenting disputes essentially mean that a Judge, who doesn’t know you or your children, may be required to decide where the children should live, how much time the children should spend with the parent with whom they don’t predominantly live, possibly prevent an event involving the children from occurring, for example a child being removed from New Zealand. That’s why working hard together to reach an agreement is often a better option.