Does lockdown affect whether I can spend time with my children?

As England is placed into another national lockdown, many parents will have concerns about what impact this has on Child Arrangements.

The government have released national lockdown guidance which includes direction for child arrangement matters.

The government has confirmed that people can continue existing arrangements for contact between parents and children where they live apart. Despite the restrictions being tightened, the government have clearly stated that arrangements where children do not live in the same household as both their parents, is included in the list of circumstances where individuals can meet others from another household. Therefore, children who would spend time between two households before the lockdown should continue to do so.

This is a continuance from the guidelines from the initial lockdown in March 2020 of which the guidance was that where parents who do not live in the same household, children under the age of 18 can be moved between their parents’ homes under the ‘stay at home guidance’.

The President of the Family division previously encouraged parents to act sensibly and safely when making decisions regarding the arrangements for their children. Parents are encouraged to communicate their worries and concerns with each other as most parents are anxious about the effect that this may have on the safety and wellbeing of their children.

If you have any concerns or need advice about how the guidelines applies to your situation, please contact a member of our Family Team.

At Johnson Astills we offer a Fixed Fee Initial Consultation which enables you to speak to one of our experts about your situation and have your questions answered.