Nick Woodall

Death of Robert Enke highlights need for new attitudes (Sun, 15 Nov 2009)
The apparent suicide of Robert Enke, the Hannover 96 and German international goalkeeper has come as a shock to the world of football and is a tragedy for his wife and family. Reports suggest that he had suffered from depressive illness for many years and that this was exacerbated by the death of his daughter Lara [...]
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Clear English and respectful language (Fri, 21 Aug 2009)
I was delighted to learn, recently, that a leaflet I produced for the Child Maintenance Options service has received a Clear English award from the Plain Language Commission. There is no doubt that parents who are going through divorce or separation need information that is easy to read and easy to act on. However, what [...]
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Families need support in tough times (Mon, 22 Jun 2009)
Last month, I came across an article in the Telegraph finance section headed Divorce: how to minimise costs in a recession. The piece focussed on how an economic recession can make an already bad situation worse and offered ten tips from Marilyn Stowe, one of Britain’s best known divorce lawyers, to help reduce the financial [...]
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When is a parent not a parent? (Thu, 28 May 2009)
I recently worked with a parent who was, in equal parts, angry and upset. Classed by the Child Support Agency as a ‘non resident parent’, they had received a letter that contained the following: We worked out your child maintenance assessment using the information you and the parent of the child(ren) gave us. Although you provide [...]
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Scandinavian countries show the way ahead (Thu, 14 May 2009)
I was fortunate enough to be working in the Czech capital, Prague, last week. I say ‘fortunate’ not just because Prague is one of the most beautiful and peaceful cities I’ve visited, but because of the people I was working with. Following the highly successful Putting Children First: best practice in support to separated families conference, [...]
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Keeping prisoners and children connected (Mon, 13 Apr 2009)
When a parent is sent to prison, it is not only they who have their lives turned upside down. Whole families need to adjust to the circumstances and children very often lose an important influence in their lives. If the bond between an imprisoned parent and a child is not to be completely broken, it is [...]
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When is a father not a father? (Sat, 14 Mar 2009)
Call me old fashioned, but I thought a father was a father if he was a father. But this proposition appears to be a difficult one for the single parent lobby group Gingerbread. Their latest press release contains the warning “the Welfare Reform Bill, currently going through parliament, proposes that an unmarried man can register [...]
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Father hit with £66k child support bill for son he never knew he had (Tue, 24 Feb 2009)
The disturbing story of a man who received a back payment demand after the Child Support Agency took ten years to ‘track him down’ opens many ethical questions. According to Metro newspaper, Paul Bourrows lost contact with the boy’s mother – an ex-colleague with whom he had a two-month relationship in 1992 – and never knew [...]
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A difficult time for children and parents alike (Tue, 06 Jan 2009)
The first week back after the Christmas break is always one of the most likely time for couples to decide to separate. It is also the time when parents are dealing with the aftermath of coping with Christmas and the difficulties that arise when children spend their time in different homes. This year it [...]
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