Seona Myerscough

Communicating with Gardner Leader

  • Newbury Office
    White Hart House, Market Place, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 5BA

  • Thatcham Office
    Winbolt House, The Broadway, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 4HX

    Telephone:
    01635 50 80 80
    Fax:
    01635 52 13 41

  • Email us now

Children

Although your relationship or marriage may have ended, you remain the parents of your children.

 

In the immediate breakdown of your relationship there may be difficulties regarding where the children are going to live and what contact they are going to have with each parent. We have skilled legal advisers who can provide you with advice to help you with your decision making.

 

The mother of the child, and the father if he is married to the mother, automatically have parental responsibility. Where the parents are not married to each other, the father will acquire parental responsibility if he acts with the other to have his name recorded in the child's birth registration (after the 1st December 2003).

 

An unmarried father can obtain parental responsibility, if he is not named on the birth certificate, by later marrying the child's mother, by making a parental responsibility agreement with her, or by getting a Court order. We can advise you as to the best way forward with respect to obtaining parental responsibility.

 

For general information regarding parental responsibility we would recommend the website www.childrenslegalcentre.com.

 

 

Adoption

 

Adoption is a specialist area and if you have been considering adoption it is likely that you will have already made some enquiries and have some general background knowledge.  However, if this is not the case, we would strongly recommend you considering the information provided by BAAF (British Association for Adoption and Fostering) on their website: www.baaf.org.uk.

 

When you have sufficient background information we will be able to assist you with the legal documentation.

 

 

Childcare

 

Local Authorities have a duty to protect children from harm.

 

Social Services perform this function for the Local Authority and in some cases they may commence care proceedings which could ultimately mean the removal of the child or children from the parents care.

 

The Social Services do try to work with the family, but if you are involved in a situation like this then it is appropriate that you get legal advice as soon as possible.  We have the expertise to deal with such matters.

 

The family team at Gardner Leader is recognised in the Legal 500.

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