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Children’s Law Solicitors in Manchester, Stockport & London

Disputes about children are among the most stressful situations a family can face. When you and your child’s other parent cannot agree on arrangements, or when you are worried about a child’s safety or welfare, you need a solicitor who will listen, explain your options clearly, and act quickly when it matters.

Our children’s law solicitors work with parents, grandparents and other family members from our offices in Manchester, Stockport and London. We help you reach the best possible outcome for your child, whether through negotiation, mediation, or court proceedings.

Why choose Nayyars for children’s law

We are a family-owned firm and we understand that for our clients, these are not cases, they are their children. When you instruct us you will have a consistent legal team who gets to know your situation from the start and does not pass you between advisers.

What we can help with

  • Child Arrangement Orders: defining where your child lives and how much time they spend with each parent.
  • Prohibited Steps Orders: preventing a parent from taking a specific action, such as removing a child from school.
  • Specific Issue Orders: resolving a particular disagreement, such as which school a child should attend or whether they can have medical treatment.
  • Special Guardianship Orders: a long-term arrangement for a child to live with someone other than their parent.
  • Grandparents’ rights: applying for leave to seek a Child Arrangement Order if contact has been refused.
  • Child relocation: advice and representation if one parent wishes to move abroad or to a different part of the UK with a child.
  • Parental Responsibility: establishing, confirming, or challenging parental responsibility.

Do I need to go to court?

Not necessarily. Many child arrangement disputes are resolved through negotiation between solicitors or through mediation, which is faster, less stressful and less expensive than court proceedings. Before applying to a family court, most people are required to attend a MIAM (Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting) to explore whether mediation could help.

Where court is unavoidable, our solicitors will prepare your case thoroughly and represent you at every hearing. The Family Court’s overriding concern is always the welfare of the child, and we will make sure your child’s best interests are clearly and compellingly put.

Grandparents and other family members

Grandparents do not have an automatic right to see their grandchildren in England and Wales. If contact has been refused and you cannot resolve this through family discussion or mediation, you can apply to the court for permission to seek a Child Arrangement Order. We have helped many grandparents and other family members through this process and understand how important these relationships are.

Children’s law support in Manchester, Stockport and London

We see clients at our Manchester (949 Stockport Road, M19 3NP), Stockport (The Tannery, Water St, SK1 2BP) and London (2-10 Tavistock Street, WC2E 7PP) offices, with remote consultations available.

Further reading: our guide on child arrangements and fathers’ rights answers the most common questions we receive from fathers concerned about their role in their children’s lives.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Child Arrangement Order is issued by the Family Court and sets out where a child lives, who they have contact with, and when. It replaced the old ‘residence’ and ‘contact’ orders in 2014. The court can also attach conditions to the order if needed.

Grandparents do not have an automatic right to apply. They must first apply for the court’s permission (known as ‘leave’). Once permission is granted, they can apply for a Child Arrangement Order in the same way as a parent. We can advise on the strength of your application before you start the process.

Under the Children Act 1989, the child’s welfare is the court’s primary consideration in every decision. The court uses a ‘welfare checklist’ that includes the child’s wishes (taking into account their age and understanding), their physical and emotional needs, the likely effect of any change in circumstances, and any risk of harm. The child’s wishes are not automatically decisive, but they carry more weight as the child gets older.

Get children’s law advice today

Call us on 0333 123 1331 or fill in our contact form and one of our children’s law solicitors will get back to you promptly.

Book a free 30-minute consultation

We offer a free, no obligation 30-minute chat with one of our specialist divorce lawyers to all new clients.
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