Lawyer campaigns for “blame free” divorces

A FRODSHAM family lawyer is campaigning for a change in the law to reduce the fallout from divorce on children, after new figures revealed the impact of conflict between separating parents.
In a new poll, 79 per cent of the population agreed conflict from divorce or separation can negatively affect children’s mental health, a figure rising to 87 per cent among those who experienced their parents’ divorce as children.
Seventy seven per cent said conflict could affect children’s academic performance and a further two-thirds felt social interactions and the ability to form healthy romantic relationships were also jeopardised.
Linda Hunter from Frodsham based Rowlinsons Solicitors is lobbying for change as part of a national “Good Divorce Week” that is being led by Resolution, who campaign for a fairer family justice system and commissioned the new YouGov poll.
Good Divorce Week aims to provide practical help, highlighting ways for separating parents to put their children’s needs first, as well as calling on government to urgently remove blame from the divorce process.
As 200,000 people divorce each year in England and Wales, an overwhelming 79 per cent of the public support measures that would remove blame from the divorce process, with 71 per cent believing change is urgently needed to reduce the negative impact on children.
Miss Hunter, who is a Collaboratively trained lawyer and mediator, specialising in family law, explained that while most parents she works with want to keep a child’s best interest at the forefront, the current fault-based divorce system can make this a challenge.
She said: “Each day I work with separating parents to help them resolve their own issues in a way that provides a fair outcome to everyone in the family, especially any children. But often, even with the most amicable break up, the requirement to apportion blame for the breakdown of the marriage can create unnecessary conflict that can often threaten the entire process.
“Currently, unless a couple can prove that they have been separated for two years with each of them providing their consent or five years without the consent of one party, the only way to get a divorce is to attribute blame. Around 60 per cent of divorces in England and Wales are based on fault, compared with only 6-7 per cent in Scotland, where the law is different.
“Many couples are surprised that they cannot just cite ‘irreconcilable differences’ or say they’ve grown apart.
“With 90 per cent of professionals saying the current law makes it harder to reduce conflict between exes, Resolution has been campaigning for decades to remove blame from the divorce process. Evidence shows the impact of conflict stemming from the requirement to blame can have a detrimental effect on the couple and any children they may have.”
Resolution has made resources available, both to the public but also local practitioners, to help them campaign to change the system and raise awareness of the long-term impact this conflict can have on children. These are available at www.resolution.org.uk/GoodDivorceWeek