Parenting and children law
Welcome to our parenting and children law area, from the UK's leading experts for families created through fertility treatment and in alternative family structures. From this page you can:
- Click on the links on the left for detailed guidance on how the law applies to your situation, including relationship breakdown, known donor disputes, acquiring legal status for a child and adopting in the UK or overseas
- Read the law
- Find the court forms you need
- Find other websites with useful information
- Read our publications and news coverage
Parenting and children: the law
Read the law itself that the courts apply when they are deciding relationship breakdown issues, disputes concerning children, child support issues and adoption:
Adoption and Children Act 2002
Court forms
Here are the court forms you may need:
Parental responsibility agreement
Step-parent parental responsibility agreement
Application for an order for residence, contact, prohibited steps or specific issue
Other websites with useful parenting law information
CAFCASS - the Child and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission - formerly the CSA, the government body that enforces maintenance awards against parents
British Association for Adoption and Fostering - a leading UK charity, which works with adoptive families and gives advice and information on issues of adoption and fostering
Adoption UK - a charity that supports adoptive families and campaigns on their behalf
New Family Social - a support group for gay and lesbian adopters
Stonewall - the UK's leading gay rights and gay and lesbian information charity
Natalie Gamble Associates news and publications
Birth mother vs non birth mother - Bionews, May 2012
Known donation on trial - Bionews, February 2012
Lesbian mothers in dispute: T v B - Family Law, November 2010
Lesbian mums in dispute: fertility law, child maintenance and what makes a parent - commentary for Bionews, November 2010
Lawyer of the week: Natalie Gamble - The Times, January 15 2008 (following representation of Andy Bathie, the sperm donor pursued by the CSA for maintenance)
Stonewall Pregnant Pause Guide for Lesbians
How we can help
We provide cutting edge legal representation to all types of families, including same sex parents and families created through assisted reproduction and adoption. We have acted for many hundreds of gay and lesbian parents and IVF/ surrogacy parents over many years of practice, as well as donors defending child support claims and others in unconventional family situations. We also have extensive experience dealing with traditional family law disputes, including those with complex financial and children issues. We can help with:
- Divorce, civil partnership dissolution and cohabitation disputes
- Financial issues arising from relationship breakdown
- Children disputes over upbringing (including contact, residence, specific issues and relocation) and status (including parentage and parental responsibility)
- Known donor disputes
- Child maintenance claims
- Disputes with the authorities (e.g. social services, maternity hospitals)
- Acquiring status for a child (including step parent adoptions and co-parent situations)
- UK and intercountry adoption
Find out more about our services or contact us for more information or advice.
