Family Solicitors Dartford & London · Legal Aid Family Lawyers
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Family law

Compassionate Advocacy for Your Family’s Needs

Afpan Edward Solicitors is specialise in legal matters pertaining to families, such as divorce, child custody, adoption, domestic violence, and financial settlements. We provide legal advice, representation, and assistance to individuals and families navigating complex legal issues. We help clients understand their rights and responsibilities under the law and work towards achieving fair and favourable outcomes in family-related disputes.

Family Solicitors Dartford & London Our Services:
Child Abduction
Child Protection and Care Proceedings
Wardship and Applications under the Inherent Jurisdiction of the High Court
Child Arrangements
Parental Responsibility and Application for Declaration of parentage
Schedule 1 Applications
Adoption
Surrogacy
Domestic Abuse
Pre- Nuptial Agreements
Divorce
Financial Settlement
Child Abduction: We can provide you with a high standard professional help in child abduction cases. Child abduction occurs where a parent removes a child from the country where they are resident without consent or without being returned as previously agreed with the other parent. This area of law often requires a fast paced service and acting promptly, both of which we can provide at short notice
Child Protection and Care proceedings: We have an extensive experience in assisting, advising and representing parents and other family members when a local authority gets involved with their family. This can be when a child has been placed on a Child in Need or Child Protection plan. A child in need plan can be triggered where a child requires extra support or if parents are struggling to meet all of the child’s needs. The local authority may also place a child on a child protection plan if they have concerns that a child may be at risk of harm. A local authority may issue care proceedings where they believe a child is at risk and after assessing the situation and coming to the conclusion that issuing proceedings is the best way to protect the child.
Wardship and Applications under the Inherent Jurisdiction of the High Court: We are equally experienced in cases where a parent is applying for their child to be made a ward of court in order to protect the child and where they seek for the High Court to act under its inherent powers

Child Arrangement

Child arrangement involves the arrangement parents make  in respect to their children when relationship break down and the parents go their separate ways. It is not unusual for parents to find it challenging to agree on the important decisions to be made in their children upbringing, where they should live, and how often they see or have contact with the non-resident parent.  This is where Afpan Edward Solicitors come in to assist  such parents  in making applications to court after engaging in mediation ( which is compulsory).

We can assist to  apply  for the following orders:

Child arrangement order: This determines who the child spends time with, how and when and who the child should live with.

Prohibited Steps Order: which prevents one or both parents from taking certain steps regarding the subject child.

Specific Issue Order: This dictates how a specific issue regarding the child, such as change of a child’s name, what school a child should attend,  what change to be made to the child’s name, what medical treatment a child should receive etc, should be treated or addressed.

Parental Responsibility and Application for Declaration of parentage

Parental Responsibility is what entitles a person to be involved in the making of important decisions regarding a child.

Parental responsibility (PR) is the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities, and authorities which, by law, a person and mostly a parent  has in relation to the child and all that pertains to the child, including the child’s property.

A person with PR is therefore able to make decisions regarding where a child lives, where he goes to school, what religion the child practices, what medical treatment he is to take, who he spends time with and whether he gets taken out of the country.

Schedule 1 Applications

This is an application made to seek financial provisions for a child. The court has the power to make orders similar to those  made in financial settlement cases solely for the benefit of the child especially where a parent with a higher income is involved.

Surrogacy

There are times when individuals  take the decision to grow their families through surrogacy.

Afpan Edward Solicitors can assist you to navigate the UK law via  which you will become your child’s legal parent especially with international surrogacy by ensuring that we assist you in complying with the provisions of the HFEA 2008

Child Adoption

We can provide you with excellent professional advice when your child is placed up for adoption and represent you where you seek permission to oppose an adoption application.

We can also provide advice when you are going through private law adoption process.

Domestic Abuse

We can provide you with assistance if you are a victim of domestic abuse or if you are wrongly accused of being a perpetrator of domestic abuse.

It is important to note that both men and women can be victims of abuse ranging from financial abuse, psychological and emotional abuse, control, threats, gaslighting and intimidation, physical abuse and sexual abuse.

Depending on the urgency severity of the matter, it may be necessary to make an urgent without notice  application to the court for non-molestation  order or for both  non-molestation and occupation orders. Please be rest assured that you could call us in confidence for the advice you need.

The situation may also warrant an application for transfer of tenancy.

Financial Settlement

When parties are divorcing or following a divorce, it is often the case that there would be a need to deal with  financial issues to provide future financial security for the parties and in many cases, for the children as well.

In some cases parties are able to reach agreement between themselves which they agree to legally formalised through submitting a consent order to the Court for approval.

At Afpan Edward Solicitors, we possess the required expertise to assist and work with you in cases where you are able to reach agreement and also where you are unable to reach an agreement with the other side and have to go through the court to obtain what is fair share of the matrimonial assets. Whether you are considering divorce and financial settlement and need just an advice or you want to commence the process of divorce, we can provide you with a tailored advice for your situation, help take the stress of litigation off you, explain and help with preparation of court documents, negotiate settlements  and represent you at court until the conclusion of your case.

Our Approach:
Client-Centered Representation: Your needs and concerns are our top priority. We take the time to listen to your story, understand your goals, and develop a personalized legal strategy that aligns with your best interests.
Empowerment Through Education: We believe in empowering our clients with knowledge. We'll explain the relevant laws and procedures in clear, understandable terms, so you can make informed decisions about your case.
Negotiation and Mediation: Whenever possible, we strive to resolve family disputes amicably through negotiation or mediation. This approach can often lead to more cost-effective and less adversarial outcomes for all parties involved.
Family Solicitors Dartford & London · Legal Aid Family Lawyers
Why Choose Us?
  • Experience: With years of experience in family law, our solicitors have successfully represented clients in a wide range of family-related legal matters.
  • Compassion: We understand the emotional toll that family disputes can take on you and your loved ones. You can trust us to handle your case with empathy, sensitivity, and understanding.
  • Results: Our track record speaks for itself. We have a proven history of achieving positive outcomes for our clients, both in and out of the courtroom.
Family Solicitors Dartford & London · Legal Aid Family Lawyers
If you’re facing a family law issue, don’t navigate it alone. Contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced family law attorneys. Together, we’ll work toward a brighter future for you and your family.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Parental Responsibility (PR) is the right and duty given to a parent (or others- see below) to take major welfare decisions concerning a child. In addition to giving a parent (or holder of PR) the responsibility to ensure a child’s welfare needs are being met it also gives certain rights of decision making (e.g. education, medical treatment, etc). Each holder of PR should consult with others who hold PR on all major decisions relating to a child.

A mother automatically has parental responsibility upon the birth of the child.­

A father will have parental responsibility if he is married to the mother or

  1. Enters into a parental responsibility agreement with the mother
  2. For children born in Britain after 1  December 2003 the father’s name is on the birth certificate
  3. By order of the Court

Others can obtain parental responsibility by order of the Court for so long as the order is in force.

The Children Act 1989, provides the framework for most of the issues relating to children.  It is child focussed in that it places the welfare of the specific child or children first or as the “paramount consideration” (s1 CA1989).

In addition to allocating duties to parents, Courts and Local authorities to safeguard children, it, together with its supporting rules and regulations, sets out the types of orders that the Court can make when parents cannot agree with the arrangements for their children.

‘Child arrangement’ orders define with whom a child lives and who they see and how regularly. A child should be able to have a quality relationship with both parents unless it is not safe. These orders used to be called “residence” and “contact”.

‘Specific issues’ that can also be decided by the Court may be in relation to education, school, foreign holidays, medical treatment or relocation (within the UK or internationally). These orders are designed to be used where there is a specific matter that parents (or holders of PR) cannot agree.

Prohibited Steps orders are used to protect children in situations where their welfare may be jeopardised such as the risk of domestic violence, child abduction, emotional or physical harm. They are designed to prevent harm.

In some circumstances, other provisions such as Wardship or the High Court’s “inherent jurisdiction” become applicable, particularly when there are international issues.

This is always a difficult and stressful situation, and needs to be handled with care. Different approaches work in different situations, however it is rarely beneficial to the children involved to do nothing.  We are able to advise and assist in these difficult circumstances and where agreement becomes impossible will advise as to the right steps to take, which may well involve Court proceedings. We will always strive to work with you for a solution that meets your child’s needs.

Sadly there are situations where allegations of abuse are made by one parent against another or by one child against a parent or carer. Cases like this are always difficult and painful. They may involve allegations of physical, emotional or sexual abuse.  Sometimes drug and alcohol abuse are involved and on other occasions there may be mental health issues or allegations of fabrication or alienation. Whatever the situation, it is important to take the right steps in a timely manner, and the right legal advice is essential at this time. We have many years of experience in dealing with these difficult situations which have long term consequences and therefore need to be handled carefully.

The simple answer is yes, with the permission of the Court you can apply for orders in relation to a child. You will probably get permission to make the application if you have a strong connection with the child, and your application  is not disruptive. If you are looking after a child that is not yours and was not placed with you by a Local Authority for more than a month then you must inform your Local Authority of the position even if you have the permission of the child’s parent(s).

As a person with parental responsibility (PR) it is possible to apply for a passport without the written consent of the others with PR. If you are worried about this then you can contact the passport agency who will inform you if your child has a passport in their name. You can also ask the passport agency to inform you if any application is submitted. This will not prevent the passport agency issuing a passport but they will (for 12 months) inform you if one is applied for and give you the opportunity to prevent this by applying to the Courts.

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