In the current COVID 19 crisis, where the government has asked for all but essential workers to stay at home, some parents are worried about what to do about contact between children and non-resident parents.
You may have obtained a Child Arrangements Order through the court, which had been working smoothly before the lock down, but given the current Stay-At-Home rules, are unsure about how to comply with the Court Order, while at the same time complying with the rules.
The government’s guidance on this matter emphasises that parents must abide by the Stay-At-Home rules issued by the government on 23 March. However, the guidance establishes an exception to the mandatory stay at home requirement where parents do not live in the same household, so that children under the age of 18 can be moved between their parents’ homes.
Now this does not mean that contact must continue as ordered by the court. The country is in the middle of a Public Health crisis on an unprecedented scale and the expectation is that parents will care for children by acting sensibly and safely when making decisions regarding the arrangements for their child and deciding where and with whom their child spends time.
If you would like to discuss this or anything else relating to child arrangements, give our Family department a call.
Our Family Department is still accepting new instructions for Divorce, Domestic abuse, Separation and Cohabitation.