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Family Law and Divorce Solicitors
Child Law Solicitors
Dealing with your concerns professionally and efficiently, aiming to bring quick resolution.
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Disputes involving children can be emotional and stressful. Our experienced child law solicitors handle issues efficiently and with sensitivity, to help you achieve the best outcome for your family.
How we can help?
We can advise you in all matters involving children, including disputes about where a child should live, the time children should spend with parents and other relations, education, religion, name and more.
Where possible, we help our clients to resolve their disputes by agreement, without going to court. Members of our team are accredited in alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation and collaborative law.
If court proceedings cannot be avoided, we will ensure they are conducted professionally, skillfully and as cost-effectively as possible.
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Our child law solicitors can advise both resident and non-resident parents on child maintenance applications made under the Child Maintenance Service.
We can also give you practical support on the process of applying for a variation. This involves asking the service to take other income or expenses into account in their calculation.
If you are not satisfied with a child maintenance decision, we can advise you on the appeals process.
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‘Parental responsibility’ gives you the legal right to have a say in important aspects of your child’s life, such as their education, medical treatment and any change of name.
A mother automatically has parental responsibility for her child from birth. A father usually has parental responsibility if he’s either:
- Married to the child’s mother when the child is born (this remains if they later divorce)
- Listed on the birth certificate (after a certain date)
If you do not currently have parental responsibility for your child, we can help you apply and draft the necessary paperwork.
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If you are considering moving to a new area with your child, or you believe your partner wants to relocate, our experienced solicitors can advise you.
When moving abroad, we particularly recommend getting legal advice at an early stage. You will need the consent of the other parent, and this often requires careful negotiation and may result in court proceedings.
Our family law team deals with applications for permission to remove children from the country and with the unlawful removal of children, both to and from England.
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Recognition of our child law expertise
Head of the team, Mei-Ling McNab has previous experience as Branch President of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) Mid, North and West Kent, lending her expertise in supporting victims of domestic abuse, helping parents resolve disputes about children and all areas of family law.
Our Family team is ranked in the top tier for family law in leading legal directory Chambers and Partners. The directory praises the team’s “expertise in handling complex Children Act matters, including internal and international relocation cases”.
Heads of the team Mei-Ling McNab and Mark Leeson were individually recognised in the 2021 directory for their work.
Our family lawyers are also highly ranked by The Legal 500 directory, which named Mei-Ling McNab and Mark Leeson as ‘Recommended Lawyers’.
Several members of the team are accredited as experts in mediation or collaborative law. Mark Leeson is also a member of the Family Law Panel.
How to contact our child law solicitors
Our child law solicitors are based in Maidstone and Canterbury and are ready to help you with any advice you need.
You can start your family law enquiry online by filling out our online questionnaire and we will get back to you with next steps, or book an initial fixed-fee virtual appointment to access legal advice at a time to suit you.
Alternatively, fill out our enquiry form to the right of this page or get in touch using the details below.
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Child Law Solicitors Maidstone
Our child law solicitors Maidstone are ready to help with any legal advice you may require so please get in touch today.
Somerfield House
59 London Road
Maidstone
Kent
ME16 8JH -
Child Law Solicitors Canterbury
Our child law solicitors Canterbury are ready to help with any legal advice you may require so please get in touch today.
First Floor
Graylaw House
20-22 Watling Street
Canterbury
Kent
CT1 2UA
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Get in touch
Please fill out the below form or alternatively you can call us on 01622 690691
Contact form
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Expertise
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Brachers celebrates Chambers UK 2026 success with new Construction ranking
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Brachers celebrates five top-tier rankings in The Legal 500 UK Solicitors Guide 2026
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Podcast – Making child arrangements work during school holidays
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Podcast – Family law and divorce
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Child arrangements over the Christmas holidays
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Key Contacts - Child Law Solicitors:
Meet the Team:
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Chambers & PartnersSuperb family law practice tackling substantial matrimonial finance cases, providing expertise on complex commercial, agricultural and trust structures. Possesses further expertise in handling complex Children Act matters.
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The Legal 500 2022Personable, engaging, warm, professional and knowledgeable. Above all, communication skills which put a client at ease, whilst empowering them to make their own decisions.
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The Legal 500 2022The team at Brachers is exceptionally strong across the board. The team is made up of solicitors that are exceptional in their own right and come together to form a formidable team. The firm is highly professional and polished
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The Legal 500 2022Brachers is a leading family law specialist firm that dominates the Kent area. The strength and depth of the team sets them apart from their competitors and they consistently provide legal service of the highest quality for their clients
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Chambers & Partners 2022Wellorganised and proactive.
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Chambers & Partners 2022They are very efficient and get things done.