Age of which children can choose where to live.

johno38

Hello, I am a single parent to three lovely children and i was wondering if anyone could help me as to the legal age of which children can choose as to where they can live.
My children are very unhappy as to where they are now and have asked to move in with me but this is not what my ex partner wants.
If anyone has any details or advice, this will be very welcome.
Thankyou

pigpen

Any age from about 8-11 and over.. if the judge deems them capable of making such a decision and realising the implications.

MrsAtobe

I was asked by the judge when I was eight, my father tried to get custody of me just to annoy my mother.

I'm not sure how it happens now (this was some time ago) but I had to go into his room in the court building on my own, and after some small talk, he asked me who I wanted to live with. He definitely didn't have his wig on, can't remember if he was in his gown, or normal clothes though.

HTH

GobbledyGook

They'll take a child's opinion into account if they think the child understands the implication of the decision. Probably from 8+ (obviously dependant on the mood of the child).

Bear in mind though that the child's wishes won't just be the only factor. It'll still have to be shown that the children would be better moving. For example at 7 I said I wanted to live with my mother, as did my brother, but we were still placed with our Grandparents because what we wanted wasn't actually what was best for us.

Do you know why your children are unhappy where they are? Is it something that can be fixed by moving with you or is it something that can be remedied (at least in part) where they are? I only ask because my daughter is currently wanting to live with her Dad - thankfully he himself realised it was because Daddy does the Zoo, Swimming, Horse riding and dinners out in comparison to Mummy's homework, room tidying and general day-to-day boringness.

princessdreamer

Had that with my son I want to see daddy as he gives me nice food, erm hello burger and chips every day is not nice food it is rubbish. Luckily my ex never bothers seeing them so it is not an issue. Children go through phases of playing one parent off against the other.

shazzzzza

my ex husband bought my 11 year old daughter a £300 pair of trainers for her to say she wanted to live with him throught the court, and needless to say it all ended in tears

ses6jwg

I've read online that most courts will not entertain the idea until around the age of 11