Mediation advice needed: UK: Hostile partner in child custody arrangement

hip-hoperation · 2025-08-11T16:37:20+00:00

First: any decisions in mediation are by consensus between you and ex. The mediator can’t decide anything for you, all they do is ensure you have a respectful and hopefully productive discussion. If you and ex can’t decide in mediation, and don’t continue mediation, you either continue muddling through, or one of you applies to family court.

Second: in the UK there is no such thing as “primary custody”. Both parents have parental responsibility and a right to be involved in the child’s life decisions. Taking away parental responsibility is very rare and a big deal. Living arrangements and time with each parent are a separate issue. Courts favour the status quo and 50:50. If you/her can demonstrate the child already has a 50:50 schedule, the court is unlikely to rule any different. If it’s already 80:20 and you can demonstrate going to 50:50 would be disruptive to the child, the court will more likely maintain 80:20.

Third: taking a child abroad. Without any court order, both parents need written consent from the other parent to take the child out of the country. Once you have a court order each parent will either have “lives with” or “spends time with” the child. It’s possible, and usual, that both parents have “lives with”. A “lives with” parent has the automatic right to take a child abroad for up to 28 days (within their regular or agreed parenting schedule). A spends time with parent does not have that right.

Fourth: no idea on the financial aspects.

No-Protection-4273 · 2025-08-11T13:24:43+00:00

Mediation is voluntary. You both have to want to agree on things and compromise for it to be affective. If this is unlikely you will still need to have completed at least one session prior to any court applications.

Title	Mediation advice needed: UK: Hostile partner in child custody arrangement
Author	Moist-Try-1123
Upvotes	6
Comments	2
Date	August 11, 2025 1:05 PM UTC (1 year ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/Divorce_Men
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/Divorce_Men/comments/1mncfz9/mediation_advice_needed_uk_hostile_partner_in/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/Divorce_Men/mediation-advice-needed-uk-hostile-partner-in.1559341 https://theredarchive.com/post/1559341

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