Family Law
Specific Issue Orders Solicitors in Brighton
Under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989, when you and your child’s other parent can’t agree on an important decision about your child’s upbringing, a Specific Issue Order can help resolve the dispute.
Family Law
Expert Guidance on Specific Issue Orders
These orders allow the family court to make a decision on a specific question affecting your child, such as which school they should attend, whether they should have medical treatment, or if they can be taken abroad.
Our Brighton-based specialist family law solicitors have extensive experience helping parents with specific issues affecting their children. As experienced family solicitors, we’ll help you understand your options, negotiate with the other parent, and if necessary, apply to court for determination as to your issue.
Alternatively, if you have been informed of an application being issued for a specific issue, or you are involved in proceedings already, we also have significant experience representing people defending these proceedings, ensuring that your position and views are best put before the court.
We have extensive knowledge about what the court considers when these applications are made, allowing us to fully advise you and prepare your case to put your best position forward. This applies to not only during the court process, but also with correspondence with the other parent or their representative.
Common specific issues we deal with
- Which school the child should attend
- Whether the child should have medical treatment or vaccinations
- Whether the child can be taken abroad
- The child's religious upbringing
- The child's name or surname
- Whether the child should have contact with a particular person
The Law
What Is a Specific Issue Order?
A Specific Issue Order is a court order that resolves a specific issue about a child or children’s upbringing when parents, or others with parental responsibility can’t agree.
The order decides a particular issue (not ongoing child arrangements), is made in the best interests of the child, can be made alongside other orders (like a Child Arrangements Order), and remains in force until the child reaches 16 (or 18 in exceptional circumstances).
Specific Issue Orders are different from a Child Arrangements Order. A Child Arrangements Order deals with where a child lives and who they spend time with. A Specific Issue Order deals with specific issues about the child’s upbringing.
How the court decides
- The child's welfare is the court's paramount consideration
- The court applies the welfare checklist under the Children Act 1989
- The child's wishes and feelings are considered (depending on age and maturity)
- The likely effect of any change on the child is assessed
- The child's physical, emotional, and educational needs are considered
Our Support
How Our Solicitors Can Help
We will support you through every stage of the process. From your first contact with our firm, you will be met with support, dedication to your case, and transparency regarding how your case will be handled and progressed.
Throughout your case, we will
- Listen to your concerns and intentions
- Advise you on the merit of your case and your options, clearly
- Provide you with a transparent breakdown of the costs
- Keep you updated throughout as to the latest position
- Assist with negotiation and correspondence with the other party
- Discuss alternative methods to court resolution
- Draft consent orders and/or agreements to settle cases
- Represent you at court if proceedings are necessary