International Children Solicitors

Stephens Scown are international children law experts and can advise in relation to a wide range of children law issues following the breakdown of a relationship. We understand how difficult matters can be, particularly where your children are involved.

International children solicitors here to help you

We review the options for resolving your dispute to find the best one for your circumstances. We are experts in supporting clients through a range of Non-Court Dispute Resolution options, where we resolve issues away from the family courts, whether that be via mediation, arbitration or collaborative family law. We regularly support clients through court proceedings where swift and robust action is required to protect yours and your children’s positions.

Our expert international children law solicitors can advise on a wide range of issues, including:

Living and contact arrangements for children

When parents separate, it is important to agree living arrangements for the children in line with their best interests. Where parents will be living in different countries, agreeing where the children should live, arrangements for holidays (at home and abroad), and when, how and who should pay for them to have contact with the other parent, can be difficult to agree. We can advise and assist you with putting appropriate arrangements in place, and dealing with any specific issues which may arise, such as where a child should go to school, and recording those arrangements, whether in writing, by way of a parenting plan, or a court order.

Jurisdiction

We have the expertise to advise you as to where proceedings in relation to child arrangements should take place and the law which should govern any dispute. We liaise with the appropriate children law experts overseas as required.

Child abduction

Where one parent has taken a child without the other parent’s permission, and without a court order, and may abscond overseas, it is likely they will be seen to have abducted that child. Child abduction is a criminal offence. We can assist you in obtaining orders to locate the child and preventing them from leaving the country if possible, including by way of a “port alert”, and instigating proceedings to return the child to England and Wales. We work with appropriate overseas experts as necessary.

International relocation

Following the breakdown of a relationship, one party may wish to move overseas, or return to their home country with a child. If the parents do not agree where the child should live, the parent will need permission of the court to relocate (also known as “leave to remove”). We can advise on the wide-ranging issues the court will take into account when considering whether the move is in the child’s best interests, including the impact on the parent who will remain in England and Wales.

Adoption

Specialist family law and immigration advice is essential when considering adopting from overseas. Advice from expert international adoption solicitors should be taken at the earliest possible stage about the appropriate assessment and approval process. Our Family team work closely with our specialist Immigration team to provide a comprehensive service to assist with International adoption.

Assisted conception

Some couples may choose a fertility clinic abroad to assist with their conception. The legal process can be different regarding who the legal parents are if the conception has taken place abroad. Our expert international children solicitors can advise in these situations.

Our international children team

We have a number of expert international family lawyers in our dedicated children law team who can advise on the full spectrum of legal issues, including:

Ann Thomas

Ann is a consultant in the team specialising in international children law and is recognised as a leader in the field of international child relocation, and cross boarder child law. She has acted for many high profile and high net worth clients dealing with the most complex of cases and has lectured extensively across the globe. Ann is listed on the Reunite website as an expert in child abduction.

Mark Smith

Mark is a partner with extensive experience in children law matters, including international relocation, complex cross boarder issues and public law cases with an international element. Mark is a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel.

Bill Wilkins

Bill is a partner leading the international child abduction team. He has extensive experience in dealing with complex children law cases with an international element and regularly advises on jurisdictional issues and service of applications and orders.

Sarah Bell

Sarah leads the children team in Truro and regularly advises on international child relocation, child abduction, adoption and assisted conception. Sarah recently obtained an order enabling a mother and the children to remain in England and Wales following a relocation from another country.

Lizzie Smith

Lizzie advises on a wide range of international family law issues and covers both financial and children matters. She advises on international child relocation, abduction and movement of children, jurisdiction issues, international child arrangements, financial support for children, and international enforcement issues. Lizzie focuses on trying to resolve family law issues outside of court where possible, and has experience of international mediation as a means of resolving matters wholistically. Lizzie is a Resolution accredited specialist in international family law and is listed on the Reunite website in relation to her child abduction work.

Lizzie’s recent cases include:

• Advising a mother in relation to potential child abduction and relocation looking to move home from Spain to England;
• Mediating a multi-jurisdiction child dispute where Father remained in England, Mother had taken the child to Singapore and the Father had links to India and resolving issues of abduction, child arrangements and finances together;
• Advising a father in relation to child arrangements where he remained in England but had agreed to Mother and children relocating to New Zealand;
• Advising mother and obtaining mirror orders in relation to child arrangements where Father wished to take the children to a non-Hague convention country on holiday and had previously failed to return the children;
• Successfully securing an order for mother and children to relocate to Norway;
• Advising father where mother had abducted a child from the Channel Islands to England and obtaining location orders.

Sarah Hindle

Sarah is a children law specialist who is a member of the Children Panel and has Higher Rights of Audience (Civil) permitting her to represent family law clients in the higher courts. She has extensive experience of complex children matters, including those with an international element, including relocation, international adoption and surrogacy. She also deals with public law children matters with an international element, including wardship.

Sarah’s recent cases include:

• Acting for the responding party in complex wardship proceedings, trying to achieve the return of 7 children from Lebanon;
• Acting for prospective adopters in international adoptions in non-Hague countries;
• Applying for an application for a Parental Order in which the parents were Israeli nationals and the surrogate and her husband were US citizens;
• Complex care and linked private law proceedings involving very high net worth individuals and assessment with the potential of placement in Bangladesh;
• A number of cases which led to children being placed or relocating overseas.

Frequently asked questions:

What are “child arrangements”?

Child arrangements deal with who a child is to live with when parents have separated, and when they will spend time with the other parent. There is considerable detail to consider, and any decisions must be made with the children’s best interests in mind.

My situation is complicated – can you help?

Our expert team of international children law solicitors are highly experienced in dealing with complex and difficult cases on a day-to-day basis. We have significant expertise and experience in assisting with international children law matters. We will listen to your story and aims and work with you to achieve the best possible outcome.

Can you help if my partner has taken my child without my consent?

Yes, we can assist you if your child has been abducted or you fear they may be abducted overseas. We can help you to locate the child, prevent them from leaving the country, and return the child where possible to England and Wales via the appropriate court applications and protective measures. We have an international network of foreign lawyers to assist us in overseas jurisdictions to achieve your desired outcomes.

Do you deal with custody arrangements?

Yes, custody and access are outdated terms but mean decisions about which parent a child will live with and when they will spend time with the other parent following a separation. As referred to above, this is now called child arrangements. We regularly advise international families about how child arrangements might work post separation, particularly where parents are living in different countries.

Is it possible to mediate if my case involves multiple countries?

Yes it is possible to participate in international family mediation or other Non-Court Dispute Resolution (NCDR) methods to resolve disputes that involve more than one country so long as both parties agree to use the process. As with mediation generally, the parties select a neutral third party to be their mediator who facilitates constructive discussions with the aim of reaching an agreement. Parties can be assisted in their mediation sessions by lawyers from any relevant jurisdictions. It is possible to deal with multiple issues within one mediation, so the process can be time and cost effective, although it is important to note that any outcome is not binding without the agreement being confirmed in a court order.