What We do
Meetings
Primarily, we hold meetings each month in Bristol and Bath to provide help and advice. This can be on any aspect of handling relationship problems, through to legal advice and help with the court system.
Invariably, pro-bono (free) advice is available from solicitors who attend our meetings: in Bristol, Battrick Clarke and in Bath Mogers. However, we are aware that in some cases your ex-partner may be represented by them. If this is the case, please feel free to come along, but make sure we know. We'll be extremely tactful in all aspects of any discussion of your case.
FNF is a charity and our meeting are open to all. They are free, but we always welcome donations to help defray our expenses!! All are welcome, including current partners, parents and friends.
Workshops
From time-to-time we also hold workshops on aspects to do with maintaining a relationship with your child(ren). These will be publicised as and when we arrange them.
Also, there are those who will help individuals on a one-to-one basis outside of the monthly meeting, especially where court cases are involved. This cannot be gauranteed as it is up to the individual providing the help what time they are willing to give, but if you come along to our meetings we will always do our best to help.
Support Services
The help and support we can give is limited - primarily because we are all volunteers and there is only so much time we can donate. Because of this we do operate "priority-points" system (see our policy below).
Support Services are a natural follow-on for those who attend our meetings. This can range from relationship advice through to help with (court) case handling and management, through to assisting at court for those who are representing themselves.
If you are not representing yourself, but have a solicitor, we can also give advice on getting the best value-for-money when using professional services such as a solicitor.
Support can be requested through our contact page. When you contact us in the first instance please give us an indication of where you qulaify in our our priority ranking (see our policy below) - or at least admit if you don't!!
Our Policy in respect of Off-Line Help
As we have said, we are all volunteers so have a priority system in place:
- Branch members who are also members of FNF
- Branch members who are not members of FNF
- Those residing in our coverage area of Bristol, Gloucestershire (including South Gloucestershire), Somerset, Wiltshire and, to an extent, Monmouthshire
- FNF members who have a case listed in one of the courts within our coverage area
- Others who have a case listed in one of the courts within our coverage area
Beyond that, we are unlikely to have the resources to help in any great depth.
Involvement in Working Parties
We are also involved in initiatives within the Family Law system to improve the way in which it operates. We are involved in the local Family Court User Group and have also taken part in CAFCASS inspections as a stakeholder user group.