COVID-19 lockdown advice for separated families

Last night, the Prime Minister announced restrictions on movement unprecedented in most of our lifetimes – not even during the First and Second World Wars were citizens directed to remain at home except for specific, exceptional reasons.

Public gatherings of more than two people are now banned, as are weddings and baptisms, though funerals are still permitted.

The Prime Minister declared a ‘moment of national emergency,’ giving the police powers to enforce the new lockdown measures, which include fines for breaches.

As with much of the response to this crisis, the announcement has left many unsure of what they can and cannot do.

In short, all non-essential businesses must close, with only those delivering food, medicine, health care, and essential services like hardware, post offices, laundrettes, banks, car rentals, and newsagents allowed to remain open.

We can only leave our homes for one of the following four reasons:-

1. Shopping for necessities, as infrequently as possible
2. For a medical needs, including providing care or assistance to a vulnerable person
3. One form of exercise per day such as a run, walk or cycle – either alone or with members of your household
4. Travelling to and from your place of work, if that work is essential and cannot be done at home

Further, the Government states:

These four reasons are exceptions – even when doing these activities, you should be minimising time spent outside of the home and ensuring you are 2 metres apart from anyone outside of your household.

Rules for separated families during lockdown

The new lockdown measures have undoubtedly caused alarm and concern across society.

For separated families, the confusion has been particularly acute. Many parents immediately panicked, questioning whether they could see the children they don’t live with, or if they could facilitate their children moving between households.

The confusion was exacerbated on Good Morning Britain on 24th March, when Michael Gove initially told Susanna Reid that children should ‘stay in the home they are currently in and should not be moving between households,’ a statement Reid referred to as ‘roulette lockdown.’

I am pleased to say that Michael Gove have corrected his earlier comments and has since clarified and confirmed that children under the age of 18 can move between the homes of separated parents.  This is supported in the government guidance:

If you work in a critical sector outlined in this guidance, or your child has been identified as vulnerable, you can continue to take your children to school. Where parents do not live in the same household, children under 18 can be moved between their parents’ homes

Advice to parents during the lockdown

The message to parents during this difficult time is to limit the movement of your children.

If possible, consider increasing the time the children spend with each parent, such as arranging one week on and one week off. This setup could offer several benefits:

• It allows for more quality time with each parent while the children are off school and parents are at home
• It reduces movement, in line with the purpose of the lockdown
• It provides an opportunity for any symptoms (in either the parent or child) to show during the time spent with one parent, potentially reducing the risk of transmission.

There is, of course, the risk that the children may need to self-isolate with one parent. These are unprecedented times, and we must adapt as best we can to navigate these challenges.

For any family law advice, whether related to coronavirus or general family matters, Thomas Mansfield’s family law solicitors are here to provide guidance and support.