Blog, Family Legal Solicitors

Should parents who "play the system" be punished?

Tuesday 9th July 2013

A Minister has stated that divorced or separated parents who play the system to "freeze" their ex-partner out of a "meaningful relationship" with their children should face tougher penalties.

Cases involving children are often the most emotionally charged and difficult cases. Unfortunately in some situations a parent can lose sigh of what is in the children's best interests and become hostile to the idea of contact from their spouse/ partner. One parent can even face a situation where with a contcat order in place, they are still denies contact and their only recourse is to take matters abck to court to enforce the order.

Under new plans, which have just gone out for public consultation, family courts in England and Wales would have to assume that it was in a child's best interest to see both parents. Ministers say this would not mean both parents had the right to equal time with their children. Parents who did not comply would also face tougher punishments.

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18412396= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-18412396]