Divorce and Splitting Up (Which Essential Guides) (Which Essential Guides) [Paperback]

'Explains in simple terms how divorce works and the financial
implications' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'This handbook will answer your initial questions and is much
cheaper than paying a solicitor'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Divorce or splitting up is never easy - the emotional upheaval, especially when children are involved, legal complexities and financial implications make even the most amicable parting a demanding business. This invaluable guide offers comprehensive, step-by-step advice on the whole process, along with clear explanations of how the law works and guidance on the key considerations and ways to avoid conflict and extra cost whether you are married, civil partnered, unmarried, straight, gay, young or old.This book covers topics such as: choosing a solicitor, deciding when to go to court and legal fees; mediation and what it can help to achieve; telling the children and what you need to know about child maintenance; pensions, property and other financial concerns; legal measures to deal with child abduction or domestic abuse; and, different laws and procedures in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It covers married, civil partnership and unmarried couples.

Imogen Clout specialised in family law after qualifying as a solicitor and worked at a number of different practices in London. She was an early member of the Solicitors Family Law Association and a founder member of the National Stepfamily Association. She has written on, and taught, family law for many years. Imogen is married with three children.

Children and Divorce:
It is important to acknowledge that you are not going to be at your best as
parents while the split and the legal processes are happening. You are
likely to be unhappy and stressed and this is going to make it difficult
for you to be rational and even-tempered. You will probably feel that you
yourself need looking after, which could make you feel guilty and make it
harder for you to be the good parent that you would like to be.
Try to take comfort from the fact that this is a temporary state. Things
will change, though it may take some time, and perhaps in a year's time
life will be different and will probably be better. You have to get through
a bad bit as a family, each looking after one another.
However much your relationship with your spouse or partner has changed
remember the key fact that you are both going to go on being parents for
the rest of your lives
You may stop living together, but you will still be the children's parents.
Your children are not going to stop being your children when they get to
18; they will still need you there for weddings, births, illnesses and
crises. Do you both really want to be in a state of armed truce every time
you meet? Do you want your children to be in the position where they can
never invite both of you to the same occasion? Do you want to continue to
hate each other for the rest of your lives? Somehow you need to find a way
of managing to cope with each other in the future.
Many couples, probably most, manage to find a way of doing this. For some
it takes quite a while. If you do not find a way, the people whom you will
hurt most are your children