Separated parents
Questions on this page:
Who will you live with if your parents get divorced or separated?
Do you get a say in where you will live?
What if you want to live with your grandparents, aunt, uncle or family friend?
Who will you live with if your parents get divorced or separated?
Your parents might decide between themselves who it is best for you to live with, and how often you will see the parent that you are not living with. If your parents can’t decide, then they might go to court to let a judge decide what would be best. The court might decide that you should divide your time equally between your two parents.
Do you get a say in where you will live?
If you know who you would prefer to live with then you should explain this to your parents. If the case does go to court the judge will take into account your wishes and feelings when s/he is making a decision about where you should live. Before the case goes to court, someone will come to talk to you about what you want- this person will be from CAFCASS. They talk with you and your parents and then write a report so that the judge knows all of the facts.
What if you want to live with your grandparents, aunt, uncle or family friend?
If you would prefer to live with one of these people, you can either arrange this informally with them if your parents agree, or they can apply to the court for a residence order. A residence order is an order from the court saying who you can live with. If the person that you live with has a residence order then they can make other big decisions about your welfare as well. For example, they will be able to attend parent’s evenings at your school.
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