Free support through your divorce/separation

Recently someone posed a very interesting question to me – ‘Would your clients be interested in receiving support and encouragement to enable them to achieve a better divorce?’

My answer was ‘absolutely’ but my first question had to be ‘but, how much does it cost?’. I was both delighted and shocked in equal measure to be told it would be free!

Divorce is commonly acknowledged as being one of the most stressful life events people experience. Essex County Council have recognised this and are funding a course called The Better Divorce Course, which is free for residents of Essex.

The course was designed and is run by Jonny Searle who is a coach (and previously divorced himself) and Shalaleh Barlow who is a Family Solicitor. Both believe in the importance of empowering their participants who are going through this stressful time to take control of their divorce and make the best choices for them and their children.

The course is delivered in person in Chelmsford or alternatively, online: it is the participants choice. The website indicates that there will be no more than 8 participants per group, with this number aimed at encouraging interaction and the sharing of experiences.

The purpose of the course is to empower attendees with knowledge of the divorce transition period, with a view to reducing both the emotional and financial cost of divorce/separation.

The course is split into six parts:

• About the divorce/separation process;

• Approach to divorce in terms of six key areas (children, home, finances, career, interests and relationships);

• Learning how to look after yourself during the divorce by building your resilience;

• Defining goals and plans as you move through the divorce process;

• Increasing belief that you can achieve your goals and execute your plans;

• Joining a network of people who are also experiencing divorce or separation and who can support and challenge you.

The founders have hailed the success of the course to date and welcome new joiners. Anyone wishing to sign-up should visit the website http://betterdivorcecourse.org where you are able to self-refer on to the course. There are a number of positive testimonials on the site worth reading, recommending its benefit to others. 

The media tends to sensationalise divorce, highlighting and focusing on all the negatives and how truly awful some cases can become, but it does not have to be that way. If both parties are willing to work together, they can be in the driving seat. This is especially important when there are children from a relationship to consider. It sends a really strong, positive message to the children when parents are able to work together to reach a financial agreement rather than one being imposed on them.

At Birkett Long, all of our Family Solicitors are members of an organisation called Resolution. Resolution has over 6000 members and all members subscribe to a Code of Conduct. The Code focuses on dealing with matters with dignity and in a consolatory manner to achieve an amicable outcome by agreement and finding the right solution for your individual family.

We also have the largest team of Collaboratively trained solicitors in Essex, spread across our offices. Collaborative Law is a way of dealing with matters outside of court. It is a team model, with everyone working together and actually signing an agreement that the matter will not go to court. It places you in the driving seat so that you can steer the pace and priority at which matters are discussed.

At Birkett Long we believe in ensuring that clients receive all the support and help they need during the difficult process of divorce/separation. We aim for an amicable divorce and adopt a holistic approach to family breakdown. Should you wish to discuss issues concerning divorce, children or finances please do not hesitate to contact me on 01245 453843 or Francesca.cozens@birkettlong.co.uk. We offer a 15 minute telephone consultation free of charge.