BATTLING OVER THE KIDS REVISITED

The arbitration scheme for disputes over the welfare of children is run by the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and - later today or perhaps tomorrow or probably before you buy the weekend shopping- you can gets loads of information about it at ifla.org.uk

Of the arbitrators currently dealing with financial cases, 20 will be covering children cases also. There will be a further 20 covering children cases exclusively and another 20 are awaiting accreditation for children cases only.

How much? Thought you would ask. No standard fee and the actual fee will vary from arbitrator to arbitrator although a fixed fee will be accepted by most. There is no sign that the fee will be cheaper for children cases than for financial cases and I give you a taster of what the fee in those cases is likely to be in my book Breaking Law.

BATTLING OVER THE KIDS

Financial disputes can be decided out of court by an arbitrator although this is not everyone's cup of tea (or arsenic). I discuss this alternative to court proceedings in Breaking Law at pages 479-481 inc. This week the financial scheme has been extended to cover private law disputes (so not those between local authorities and carers) concerning the welfare of children. 

The disputes will usually be between parents over which of them is to be the principal carer, what arrangements for contact there should be and whether the principal carer should be allowed to relocate with the children to somewhere else in England and Wales away from the home of the parent who has contact.

Arbitration should be quicker than court but you will have to pay out for it. I'll be back with how much the bill is likely to be.