‘She had a whim of iron’: intractable contact disputes

• The impact of intractable contact disputes upon children.
• What can the court do?
• What options are there outside of court?

Assisting separating parents who are unable to agree upon the arrangements for their children is a difficult but common feature of a family practitioner’s workload. At times, parents can become so entrenched in their respective views that they are unable to reach a sensible compromise. The president of the Family Division reported last year that 38% of separating couples end up in the Family Court to resolve disputes about their children (see https://bit.ly/2tUDKjI). But what is the impact upon the children who are embroiled within the dispute? And what, as lawyers, can we do to help?

The impact of intractable contact disputes upon children

There are many internal and external factors that might influence how