If you don’t live with your children
Date last updated: 2 December 2021
Information
This information is for parents whose children don’t live with them for most of the time. This could be due to a separation, or you may never have lived with your child’s other parent.
Below are details of organisations that can help you with important issues such as reaching agreements with your child’s other parent, making arrangements for your children, responsibility for child maintenance, getting legal help and getting help for yourself or for your child.
The majority of Gingerbread’s information pages are written for the parent who has the child living with them most of the time, but you may find that the following pages contain information that is helpful for you.
Legal information and advice
Advice Now (web only)
An independent, not-for-profit website, run by Law for Life: The Foundation for Public Legal Education, provides information on your rights and the law.
Advice NowCafcass
Cafcass looks after the interests of children in the family courts. It works with children and their families, then advises the court on what would be in the child’s best interest. The website has information for children, teenagers, parents and carers.
CafacassCitizens Advice
Provides free, independent and confidential advice on issues including benefits, debt, housing and consumer rights.
Citizens AdviceChild Law Advice
Child Law Advice is operated by Coram Children’s Legal Centre. Specialist advice and information on child, family and education law. Applicable only in England.
Child Law AdviceCivil Legal Advice
Can advise on eligibility for legal aid and signpost to local sources of help.
Civil Legal AdviceFamilies Need Fathers
Information, advice and support services to help parents, and grandparents following parental separation.
Families Need FathersFamily Rights Group
Confidential advice for parents and other family members if social workers are involved in your child’s life, or you need extra support from children’s services. They also have a parental advocacy project.
Family Rights GroupHM Courts Service
Help to find your local court as well as information, court forms and guidance.
HM Courts ServiceLaw Society
Use the website to find a solicitor in your area.
Law SocietyResolution
Association of family law solicitors, who adopt a non-confrontational approach to family problems.
They can provide a list of local members. The website has free information on issues such as splitting up, divorce and parenting apart.
ResolutionReunite
Charity which provides advice, information and support on all issues related to international parental child abduction, prevention of abduction, international contact issues, and cases of permission to remove a child from the country.
ReuiniteRights of Women
The helpline offers free, confidential legal advice for women. Specialist areas include family law, divorce and relationship breakdown, child arrangement issues and domestic violence.
Rights of WomenShelter
Gives details of local housing advice centres
throughout the country and provides information and advice on a range of housing issues.
Stonewall
Free information line for individuals, employers and organisations. The website includes information on same sex parenting rights, and local lesbian, gay bisexual and trans support groups and services.
StonewallChild support and maintenance
Child Maintenance Options
Information about your options for arranging child maintenance, and making a family-based arrangement.
Child Maintenance OptionsChild Support Agency
For questions about existing child support cases
Child Support AgencyChild Maintenance Service
For questions about new child maintenance cases.
Child Maintenance ServiceBenefits and tax credits
Child Benefit Helpline
Information on child benefit.
Child Benefit HelplineJobcentre Plus
To claim welfare benefits including jobseekers allowance and employment and support allowance.
Jobcentre PlusCarers Allowance Unit
Benefit enquiries for disabled people and their carers.
Carers Allowance UnitAttendance allowance
Information on attendance allowance, and how to claim.
Attendance allowancePersonal independence payment
Information on personal independence payment, and how to claim.
Personal independence paymentDisability living allowance
Information on disability living allowance, and how to claim.
Disability living allowanceTax credit helpline
Information about tax credits.
Tax credit helplineUniversal credit
Universal credit is a new benefit system that is replacing many of the current benefits and tax credits. It is available through Jobcentre Plus in certain areas for people who are making a new claim for benefits.
Universal creditMediation
Family Mediation Council
Provides information on family mediation and an online database of family mediators
Family Mediation CouncilFamily Mediators Association
Provides information on family mediation, and can give information on local mediation services.
Family Mediators AssociationNational Family Mediation
Can answer general enquiries relating to mediation and put callers in touch with local not-for-profit mediation services.
National Family MediationSupport for parents and children
Contact a Family
Support for parents and carers of disabled children.
Contact a FamilyDad.info
Advice, information, and a forum for dads.
Dad.infoFamily Lives
Provides information and support on all aspects of parenting, including bullying.
Family LivesMATCH - mothers apart from their children
Charity offering non-judgemental support and information to mothers who are apart from their children.
MATCH - mothers apart from their childrenMen's Advice Line
Confidential helpline for men experiencing domestic abuse. Provides emotional support and practical advice including how to make yourself safer, where to get legal advice, how domestic abuse affects children and information for gay and bisexual men.
Men's Advice LineNational Domestic Violence Helpline
The freephone 24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline is run in partnership between Women’s Aid and Refuge. It is a national service for women experiencing domestic violence or their friends and families. A translation service is available.
National Domestic Violence HelplineMind
Information and advice on all aspects of mental health including postnatal depression, common signs of different mental health problems, self-help tips, treatment and support.
MindNational Association of Child Contact Centres
Contact centres allow parents to see their children in a safe and comfortable place. Supervised and supported contact is available. They provide a neutral environment, usually with games and toys available for children.
National Association of Child Contact CentresRelate
Offers a range of services and provides support at all stages of relationships. Relate also provides a counselling service for children and young people.
RealateYoung Minds
Information for young people and children about mental health and emotional well-being. The parents’ helpline offers free confidential information and advice, to any adult worried about the emotional problems, behaviour, or mental health of a child or young person.
Young Minds