Needless to say though, this can be far from easy. But by focusing on the essential decisions and arrangements which will need to be made for children during a divorce, you and your ex can come to an agreement. Here are just a handful of the big decisions you’ll need to make, along with useful advice on how to overcome problems.

Where your children will live and how they will spend their time

If you and your partner can agree on these two essential points, it’s really good news. It means that you are unlikely to need to attend any court hearings and you can make your agreement legally binding using a family law solicitor.

When deciding where children will live, it’s not just about which parent ‘gets’ to have the children living with them permanently. Instead, you need to consider the consequences of your decision on everything from which school the children go to, where their friends and other family members live and how they will travel between each parent’s home. Which will be the most convenient and the least disruptive for them?

When looking at where children will spend their time, you’ll need to discuss the issue of contact. This includes phone calls, visits and overnight stays, in a way that both parents are comfortable with and that suits the needs of the children. This can be difficult to agree upon, so the help of a mediator or family lawyer could be useful here.

Involving your children in decisions

You may be worried about discussing issues to do with the divorce with your children, for fear of upsetting them. However, leaving them out of the decision-making process is not recommended unless they’re very young. Instead, you can ask them what they would prefer, explain the reasons for decisions that will need to be made and simply find out what they think and what they are worried about.

Mediation and what happens if you can’t agree

In a perfect world, you and your ex-partner will agree on everything to do with your children ahead of a divorce. Unfortunately though, it’s unlikely that you’ll immediately agree on every detail. This is where mediation can be useful. If your discussions aren’t getting anywhere and there’s a concern that things could become heated, sitting down with a professional mediator can help to iron things out. It can help to foster a spirit of compromise and agreement, to re-focus both of you on the importance of putting your children’s needs first.

Tracey Miller Family Law may be a Liverpool divorce law specialist, but we also have extensive experience in situations involving children. Our family lawyers are perfectly placed to help your family navigate legal issues and other difficult situations, so please give us a call on 0151 515 3036 or 07795 060 211 if you need our help.