One of the most heartbreaking aspects of any break up is the impact on the children.

It's hard for parents too. One parent may feel devastated and bereft at being without his or her children for much of the week, while the other feels overwhelmed and without support.

At a time when feelings are running high, it's all too easy for children to be caught in the cross-fire, and for parents to fight out their battles through their children.

Calm, detached advice can help. Most parents eventually succeed in agreeing arrangements for their children, and the most successful arrangements tend to be those parents have worked out between themselves, if necessary after taking advice.

In a few cases, when agreement is impossible on an important issue, the court may have to be asked to intervene. Our advice is aimed, first of all, at helping you to negotiate solutions, so that an application to court is not needed. We can also advise you on alternatives to court.

Where an application to court has to be made, we will help you to explain your case to the court so that the judge understands clearly what you want and why.

The most common applications are for residence orders (where the child is to live) and contact orders (about seeing the other parent).

Our Head of Department, James Stewart, is a member of the Law Society's specialist Children Panel and regularly represents children as well as parents involved in disputes with Social Services.