Divorce

Through this difficult time, there is plenty of advice available to help make a painful process as easy as possible.

Relate
Relate is a charitable organisation offering support, counselling and mediation to people having relationship problems. Whether you're married, cohabiting, or in a same sex partnership, whether you're trying to hold your relationship together, going through divorce or have recently become single - Relate can help. Go to their website at http://www.relate.org.uk/ for more information.

Relate have a branch in Grimsby - you can make an appointment by calling 0845 166 4110.

Family Mediation
Family Mediation is when an independent mediator helps couples, married or unmarried, who are in the process of separation and divorce, to make decisions about their children, finances and property. National Family Mediation, at http://www.nfm.org.uk, is a network of over 60 local not-for-profit Family Mediation Services.

Finding a Solicitor
The Family Solicitors website, at http://www.family-solicitors.co.uk/, has useful advice and links to solicitors in your area.

Alternatively, you can look on the Yell directory at http://www.yell.co.uk.

Citizens Advice Bureaux.
Your local Citizens Advice Bureaux can help with all issues, including finance, finding a lawyer, access to children and housing. Go to http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ to find your local centre, or to http://www.adviceguide.org.uk  for more detailed advice.

Law Centres
Law Centres provide a free and independent professional legal service to people who live or work in their catchment areas. Go to http://www.lawcentres.org.uk/ to find out more.

Legal Aid
The Legal Services Commission, at http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/, looks after legal aid and through the Community Legal Service (CLS), helps people who are eligible for legal aid.

Family Law
The Solicitors Family Law Assocation is an association of family lawyers committed to a non-confrontational approach. They have a directory of solicitors who deal with family law matters in a sensitive, constructive and cost-effective way, which avoids long arguments and promotes co-operation between parents in decisions concerning children.

Child Support Agency / Maintenance
The CSA website at http://www.csa.gov.uk/ has information on your legal rights and responsibilities as a parent, including FAQ's, advice on calculating your maintenance payments and downloadable leaflets.

Homelessness
The Council can help you if you find yourself homeless.

Other useful websites
Divorce Online at http://www.divorce-online.co.uk/ is a self-help and information portal with links to family law solicitors in your area.

The Divorce Aid website at http://www.divorceaid.co.uk/ offers holistic and supportive guidance for those going through the divorce process.  The site provides advice from experts and professionals on all aspects of your life, including financial arrangements, family law, emotional and health worries and provides links to helplines and other useful websites.  
Two special areas for children and teenagers can be found at http://www.divorceaid.co.uk/child/index.html - their aim is to enable children affected by a divorce to understand what is happening and cope with their feelings and concerns.