Do more to ensure parents cooperate post-divorce

On the surface, it would appear that the divorce numbers are rising. However, the report on July 26 ("Mandate counselling for children in divorces") fails to take into account the rising population and the fact that the divorces also include expatriates and foreigners.

In the courts, the impact of divorce on children has always been a paramount consideration.

As a lawyer, I encourage the parties to resolve the divorce amicably by offering them collaborative family practice, conflict resolution and private mediation; I also send them for private counselling.

However, only a few lawyers are trained as collaborative practice lawyers and family mediators, and have undergone conflict resolution courses.

This means that not many lawyers are able to "sell" the amicable divorce approach.

I also advise parents not to cut off access to the other parent.

But the difficulty lies in the post-divorce situation. There are not enough steps taken by the Family Court to review access after the divorce.

More can be done to ensure that the controlling parent cooperates and complies with court orders to allow access to the other parent.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on August 16, 2015, with the headline Do more to ensure parents cooperate post-divorce. Subscribe