As many of you will have noticed Christmas cards, wrapping paper and presents are creeping their way into shops and supermarkets. Most of you would consider the beginning of October far too early to consider Christmas in terms of presents and ordering the Turkey for Christmas dinner. However, if you have recently separated, considering the arrangements for the children over the Christmas period as far in advance as possible will help to alleviate some of the stress linked to the festival period.

As most would agree, Christmas should be about the children. For many separated couples, arrangements are agreed upon between them amicably and in plenty of time. It is common for many to share the time equally and to have a routine for where the children are going and when. This ensures both parents can enjoy quality time with the children over the Christmas period. As with all arrangements for the children, it is always better to decide on these yourselves; however, in some cases, these discussions are not possible. If this is the case you may wish to consider one of the following options:

Setting out in a letter your proposals for contact over the Christmas period including where possible, specific times for collection and return (assuming you cannot speak to the other parent directly). The other parent is likely to require some time to process your proposal and whether the arrangements can be agreed upon to allow them time to consider the matter.

If a response to your letter is not received or they do not agree you may wish to consider mediation or the assistance of a family solicitor to help you reach an agreement.

Court proceedings should always be a last resort; however, if your ex-partner is being particularly obstructive towards the idea of sharing the Christmas period court proceedings will ensure the matter is considered. The court process can be time-consuming and therefore adequate time should be allowed to obtain an order prior to Christmas.

How Neves can help

If you are facing difficulties agreeing on the arrangements for children during the Christmas period we would recommend an initial meeting with one of our family lawyers to discuss your proposals and the options available for moving forward. For more information about our fixed fee initial meetings please get in touch with our Family Law team by calling 0330 0945 500, email family@nevesllp.co.uk or complete our Contact Form and we'll get back to you.