As news of Roaming Ronan Keating’s affair lead himself and his wife to announce that they were to separate, thoughts turn to how best to effect an amicable separation in the interests of their children 11 year old Jack, 9 year old Marie and 4 year old Ali.
When the spotlight focuses on celebrity separations the temptation for the tabloids to focus on the toxic elements can prove irresistible. But there is another way, particularly if parents wish to avoid ongoing parental conflict.
By using collaborative processes and working together, flexible child centred outcomes can be achieved, with minimal upset and minimal cost.
Collaboration can help separated couples understand where the other is coming from and allow jointly agreed solutions that often the courts could not. Liz Tait, Family lawyer with Irwin Mitchell summarises “it is possible to make a good separation. Frequently, the solution is co-operation. It is possible to ride the ups and downs and achieve a child centred future without it being a rollercoaster”.
