If your parents split up, a decision may need to be made about where you live. You might live with each parent for half the week, or with one parent more than the other. Any arrangements made should be in your best interests and take your wishes and feelings into account. You should talk to your parents or another adult you trust about what you want. If your parents go to court to decide, you may be asked for your views, and your wishes and feelings might be considered. For more information, see our page on Living arrangements.

You should speak to your parents about how you feel. Contact is your right, and your parents should understand if there are times when you are unable to go. If there is a court order setting out your contact arrangements, it is legally binding. However, this may need to change as you get older, and your parents may need to go back to court to change the order if they cannot agree. For more information, see our page on Contact with family members when parents disagree.

You should talk to your dad about how you feel. You have the right to contact with your family, and you might be able to agree to spend time with your siblings. If an agreement cannot be reached, it might be possible to apply to the family court. For more information on how to do this, you can contact us using our contact form.

If you are 16 or over, you can change your own name. If you are under 16, and your dad has parental responsibility, your name can be changed only if both your mum and dad agree. If your dad does not agree, your mum may need to apply to the family court to request the name change. For more information, see our page on Changing your name.