A Non-Molestation Order does not automatically mean you cannot see your children. However, the nature of such Orders often makes contact arrangements more difficult. For example, if you are not allowed to approach your former partner and the children primarily live with them, picking up or dropping off your children can become challenging. We have also seen cases where a person applies for a Non-Molestation Order with the intention of preventing their children’s other parent from having any contact.
These will all be issues that the court takes into account and we can help you navigate difficult circumstances while the Order is in place. For example, by helping you negotiate an arrangement with your former partner whereby you have contact with your children with safeguards in place to prevent you accidentally breaching the Order.
The most important thing to remember is that the court will never allow you to be deprived of access to your children unless it is in their best interests (and typically, it is considered best for a child to have healthy, regular contact with both parents).
We can also help you apply for a range of court orders to help you sort out arrangements for children if your former partner will not cooperate, such as Child Arrangements Orders and Specific Issue Orders.
For more general information about our children law services, please visit our Child Law Solicitors page.