Divorce separation children

Divorce

Divorce is word with a legal meaning. It is short for  a married couple splitting up legally. A judge must decides in court if their marriage can be ended.  The judge will only give a divorce, if he is satisfied with the plans your parents have made for you.

A person who helps children cope with the divorce of their parents. This is usually a well trained professional.

Family counselor

An adult specially trained to help parents and families with their personal problems. He or she listens, observes and gives advice to parents and to children in divorce separation children

Separated

When your married parents are living in different places.

Children and family reporter

An official reporter from Cafcass (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service). The family reporter monitors what is happening in families. He reports his findings back to the court. Cafcass looks after the interests of children of families that are facing court proceedings. Cafass works  closely together with children and their families. Cafcass gives advice to the court about what is to be done for the benefits of the children.

Judge

The judge is the person who listens to your parents or to their attorneys in court. The judge applies the law or laws that are relavant for the case. Based upon the information from both parties, the proof that has been presented to him, the law and the arguments and motivation of your parents, the judge decides.

The judge usually decides what's best for you if your parents can't agree. The judge will consider your wishes. It is important that you make clear for yourself what you want. The child counselor for divorce separation children can assist you in this.

Lawyer / solicitor / attorney

A specialist on the law who helps people make arrangements about matters such as which parent children live with and where.
Lawyers /solicitors / attorneys specialised in divorce separation children give legal advice and speak for parents or for children in court. They know how to present a divorce case and they will defend the interests of their client as much as possible.

Magistrate

A special type of judge working in the family proceedings court.

Mediator

A person trained to help parents who are splitting up talk together about what their children need and want. A mediator is not a judge, not a counselor and not a sollicitor or attorney. In court, a judge decides in favor of one of the parents. A mediator helps the different parties to find a solution that is beneficial for all the parties involved in divorce separation children. The outcome is a written agreement between the parties. The result of a <a href="mediation.html">mediation</a> process is always a win-win situation. There are winners only. Mediators focus on the interests of the individual parties. This is a much more positive approach from a court proceeding.

County court / family proceedings court

A local court for the area you live. The family proceedings court will decide on the future of you and your family regarding custody, arrangements, child and family support and alimony.

Filing for divorce

To get a divorce (divorce separation children) your father and mother need to fill in some forms. The judge needs to know from them:

• The place or places where you will be living after the divorce
  
• The persons who will live with you
• The name and the location of the school where you will go to
• Visitation arrangements for you to see the parent you won&#39;t live with
• Arrangements for your to visit other persons that are important to you, like brothers, sisters, grandparents, trusted friends.

Half brother or half sister

When one of your parents have a child with a new partner. The son or daughter of your parent and your step parent. Of course it is possible that one of your parents broke up the marriage with his previous partner and that that parent has children from that marriage. In that case, his or her children are your half brother or half sister too.

Stepsister or stepbrother

The son or daughter of your stepparent born before they got together with your mum or dad. It is the same as half brother or half sister.

Stepfather/stepmother/stepparent

If your mother or your father marries somebody else after the divorce, they call that person &ldquo;stepparent&rdquo;.

Maintenance

Financial support that one parent gives to the parenting parent to look after you. With this money, the parent you live with has more money to pay for your necessities, education and fun stuff.

Residence

Where you will live. There can be several situations related to divorce separation children:

• single residence: you live for most of the time with one of your parents and you visit the other only for short periods
• time shared residence: you live a few days with one parent and after that a few days with the other. There are many schemes possible: monday - friday with mother, weekends with father; 3 days with mother, 4 days with dad, one entire week with your mother and the next week with your father.
• bird nesting: you live with your brother and sitsters on the same place and your parents live in your house one at a time. This is not an option for young children. It is expensive too, because your parents will have to pay for their own homes and for the &ldquo;bird nest&rdquo; where the children are living.

Return to Divorce and children

Return from Divorce separation children to the Home page of Children and divorce