Family Life

How to Make Family Meetings Work for Stronger Bonds

Family meetings can be a great way for parents, foster carers, and children to connect, communicate, and strengthen their relationships. By setting aside dedicated time to check in, share feelings, and solve problems, families can gain understanding, improve cooperation , and build trust. Here are some tips for making your family meetings a success.

Schedule Regularly

The first step is to establish a consistent schedule for your family meetings. Sit down together and decide on a regular schedule that works for everyone, such as weekly or monthly. Mark it clearly in your calendars...

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Ellie Green

Ellie Green

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Protection and care of children remains as important as ever during COVID-19 outbreak

Protection and care of children remains as important as ever during COVID-19 outbreak

Authored by Reporters
Posted: Wed, 04/08/2020 - 4:53pm

A WESTCOUNTRY legal practice says during these uncertain times the protection and care of children remains as important as ever (April, 2020).

As of March 24, it was confirmed by the Government that children can move between separated parents during the current coronavirus restrictions.

Family barrister, Elizabeth McCallum, who is the co-founder of the legal service Children in the Middle, along with her fellow Exeter-based barrister Sarah Evans, said: “During these uncertain times, it’s important to maintain your child’s routine as much as possible and the Government...

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As couples self-isolate due to coronavirus, lawyers expect a rise in divorces

Contrary to popular belief, there is just one “ground for divorce”. The irrevocable breakdown of the marriage. In UK law, before a couple can be granted a divorce, they must prove that their marriage broke down for one of 5 reasons. These are adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion, living apart for 2 years (with consent) or living apart for 5 years (without consent). You’ll notice that coronavirus isolation isn’t on that list.

Despite this, solicitors up and down the country are bracing for an increase in enquiries once the lockdown restrictions are eased. It’s not...

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Separating or divorcing parents can still get advice on childcare during COVID-19 outbreak

Separating or divorcing parents can still get advice on childcare during COVID-19 outbreak

Authored by Reporters
Posted: Tue, 03/31/2020 - 4:50pm

DON'T USE AS FAMILY LAW HAVE ALREADY POSTED VERY SIMILAR

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PARENTS who are separating or divorcing can still receive help and advice surrounding the care of and access to their child from a legal practice during the current COVID-19 outbreak (March, 2020).

Children in the Middle says courts are currently running virtually, so concerned mums and dads should not be worried as cases about the care of their children will continue.

Family barrister, Elizabeth McCallum, who is the co-founder of the legal service Children in the Middle, along with her...

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Getting a Divorce: What You Need to Know

etting a divorce can be a challenging and emotional experience for the couple involved. It could be made even more difficult if one party wants to end the marriage and the other doesn’t. However, short-term marriages where there is little ownership of possessions, no children or property involved are much easier to manage. If couples work together and aim to settle a divorce through calm negotiation, it will make the experience far less gruelling and expensive. For those unsure of the legal steps involved, understanding how to file for divorce can be crucial in navigating the process...

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Covid-19: How it affects child contact if you’re a separated parent

Specialist family lawyer Hannah Porter from The Family Law Company explains what government recommendations about social distancing mean for separated parents deciding whether contact between children and the non-resident parent should go ahead.

Associate Solicitor Hannah says, “We are all now aware of advice regarding staying at home, social distancing. and avoiding any gatherings with friends and family.

“The difficult question is how far does avoiding gatherings with family go when children have two parents living separately and are used to seeing both of them regularly...

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Divorce rate falls for heterosexual couples in England and Wales

The divorce rate for opposite-sex couples in England and Wales is at its lowest level in almost half a century, but marital bliss isn’t entirely to blame for this decrease. Instead, problems processing applications for divorce are holding things up, leading to a fall in the overall number of finalised divorces.

In 2018, there were 90,871 divorces between heterosexual partners. This is a drop of 10.6% from the previous year and is the lowest number of annual divorces since 1971. This is according to information from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

In 2017, the...

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Confused about pensions? What you need to know

Authored by Marc Astley
Posted: Sun, 03/15/2020 - 8:25pm

More than three-quarters of employees across the UK were members of a workplace pension scheme last year – a new record high, official figures reveal.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 77% of employees were in a workplace pension scheme in 2019, marking the highest membership rate since comparable records started in 1997.

Automatic enrolment into workplace pensions, which started in 2012, has had a huge impact in getting people into the habit of saving for later life. And younger generations appear to have caught the savings bug, with 2019 seeing 80% of...

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Spring-clean your finances with these seven simple steps

Spring-clean your finances with these seven simple steps

Authored by Marc Astley
Posted: Sat, 03/14/2020 - 8:39pm

We can all become complacent with our finances, but as with any bad habits, the first step is admitting something needs to change – and spring is an ideal time to give your money habits a deep clean and refresh.

But, once you’ve decided to improve your money habits, where do you start?

Here are some ideas from TopCashback.co.uk UK director Adam Bullock, for spring cleaning your finances and taking some steps towards a brighter financial future…

Spring clean your finances with these seven easy steps

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Ten fragrant gardening gifts for Mothers

Authored by Marc Astley
Posted: Sat, 03/14/2020 - 8:35pm

So many plants offer fantastic scents – the sweet headiness of lily-of-the-valley in spring, the strong perfume of roses, mock orange and lilies through summer.

From shrubs whose scent is carried in the wind and can be enjoyed out on the patio, to houseplants that fill a room with fragrance, along with scented balms, oils and candles aimed at gardeners, your mum can inhale the joy of her garden with a fragrant Mother’s Day gift.

Here are some of the most perfumed offerings to buy now… Fragrant gifts for Mother's Day

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Bringing Home Your First Pet? Here's What You Need to Prepare

Authored by Claire Small
Posted: Thu, 02/27/2020 - 10:53am

You might have recently decided to adopt a new friend. Or maybe you’ve gone out with the family after talking it over, and decided to find a breed for a pet to add a new addition for your family. Either way, you aren’t quite sure the next few steps to take when you bring home your pet. There are a few key points to take into consideration when you first bring home your new family member. Different pets handle differently so the steps you take when owning and bringing home a dog may vary from what you would do when preparing you and your home to take in a new feline friend. There are some...

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