Emma Gill discusses the impact of Covid on restricting parental contact

In an interview with the Daily Mail Online, Emma Gill, Regional Managing Partner of Vardags and Head of their Manchester office, discussed the significant impact of Covid-19 on children’s cases since March 2020. Gill expressed her concern about the opportunistic behaviour of some parents, referring to Covid as a "gift to unscrupulous parents." She highlighted how some parents have been using the excuse of self-isolation to disrupt child arrangements, making it challenging for the other parent to refute these claims.

Gill further emphasised that the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly prolonged the duration of private cases going through the court system. As a result of Covid, weekly visits have been cancelled, and some parents have experienced months of no contact with their children. In the majority of cases, it is the fathers who are fighting for parental access, with some fathers having applied for contact at the beginning of the pandemic and still not having seen their children a year later.

Although each situation is unique, the overall impact of Covid-19 has intensified the divide between separated parents. This division may have long-lasting and detrimental effects on their relationship, even after the pandemic has ended.

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