The Government has pledged to take action to stem the surge in knife crime that has claimed the lives of more than 20 teenagers in London alone this year, including forcing youngsters caught carrying knives to visit stabbing victims in hospital.   more »

You may not yet be feeling the effects of the credit crunch too badly, but according to a Chambers of Commerce report, full-blown recession is only months away and almost everyone will have to tighten their purse strings.   more »

According to media reports this week, television presenter Adrian Chiles has split with his wife of ten years, Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour host Jane Garvey, because his burgeoning career has now eclipsed hers and his supposed inability to turn down work, leaving him stressed and with less time for her and their two young daughters......   more »

Absent parents can sometimes struggle to stay in touch with their children, especially if their career is time consuming or the job takes them abroad for lengthy spells.   more »

In last week’s blog, I talked about the sad fact that half a million elderly men aren’t in touch with their children partly because divorce courts in the ‘70s – when judges were less sympathetic to fathers’ and children’s needs – awarded custody to mothers in a way that left even the most devoted dads high and dry in terms of access.   more »

A sad, if not altogether surprising, picture emerged this week of how men are suffering from the effects of their divorces as long as 30 years after the event.   more »

The number of single women has hit an all-time high – and most of them aren’t looking for love – according to reports this week.   more »

Have you just returned from a half-term holiday break? If so, maybe you opted for a camping trip in the UK – to beat the credit crunch – and spent the week dodging rain showers, squelching around in a soggy field and forking out far more money than intended on indoor entertainment and restaurant meals.   more »

The increase in alcohol consumption is rarely out of the news these days and one of the most alarming trends appears to be middle-aged, middle-class drinkers who regularly knock back far more than the Government’s recommended daily number of units.   more »

The current spell of sunny, warm weather and the meadows and hedgerows burgeoning with May-time colours and smells are conducive to making us feel full of the joys of spring.   more »

Last weekend marked the first anniversary of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance from her family’s holiday apartment in Portugal. The four-year-year was apparently abducted while her parents dined at a tapas bar nearby.   more »

Money doesn’t buy you happiness, so the adage goes. Yet money does buy you material comfort and peace of mind, which in today’s consumerist world is increasingly important.   more »

If you’re a recently separated or divorced woman of a certain age, your newly single status, coupled with the long winter and chilly early spring, may have turned your thoughts to a summer holiday somewhere hot and far away from your domestic troubles.   more »

The BBC’s Newsround programme came in for criticism this week over its coverage of the tragic death of popular children’s TV presenter Mark Speight. Some parents were angry at the in-depth reporting, saying their youngsters had been left in tears.   more »

So sang the pop group Sparks in the mid-70s. It’s a line that no doubt strikes a chord with many people who still live and work in the same town or city as their ex.   more »

For those of you whose marriages recently failed, the extensive news coverage of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his new wife, Carla Bruni, who jetted into Britain for a state visit last week, might have been difficult to stomach.   more »

To quote an old BT slogan: It’s good to talk. It’s especially good if you’re going through an emotional crisis, such as divorce or separation. Offloading your troubles on to sympathetic friends and relatives can help ease the pain and put things into some kind of perspective.   more »

The bitter divorce battle between Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills finally came to an end this week, with the former model being awarded £24.3 million of her husband'’s massive fortune.   more »

Many couples fondly imagine that having a child will bring them closer. On one level, this is usually the case. On another, however, having a young child can drive an emotional wedge between parents.   more »

The tragedy of BBC Radio 3 presenter Andy Kershaw’s much-publicised downfall highlights, in the most painful way, the effect an acrimonious separation can have on children.   more »

If your marriage has recently broken down, your first instinct may be to pour out your feelings to close friends and family, and it can be extremely helpful and comforting to do so.   more »

As Paul McCartney and Heather Mills attempted (and failed!) to finalise the financial aspect of their divorce last week, her father predicted the former model would leave Britain after a settlement had been reached.   more »

When it comes to finding a good divorce lawyer, it is wise to do a fair bit of research. Rather than trawling the Yellow Pages for a list of high street firms that deal with a range of legal issues including divorce, identify niche matrimonial firms that provide not just expert skills but related services such as counselling.   more »

Like a great many other women, you may have started January by contemplating divorce and ended it by reaching the decision to end your marriage.   more »

Another week, another survey! This time I think almost everyone – apart from divorce lawyers like me – was stunned at the findings of a new study of married men and women, which found that 59 per cent of wives would end their marriages immediately if their future economic security was assured.   more »

If you are in the particularly unhappy situation where you want to hold on to your marriage but your partner wants out, you are likely to be feeling not only heartbroken but also at a distinct disadvantage because your spouse has all the power.   more »

If Christmas wasn’t a bundle of laughs in your household, it may be that visiting relatives and in-laws were a major cause of stress and argument.   more »

Well done; you’ve survived Christmas and New Year – not the easiest of “celebrations” to negotiate – and maybe you’ve even had a good time. So, firstly, let me wish you a happy, optimistic and fulfilling 2008.   more »

Now I don’t know what you’re wanting for Christmas, but for me the best present would be an empty appointments diary when I return to the office after New Year.   more »

The “war of the Tarrants” has taken a distinctly un-Festive turn with the newly divorced celebrity couple apparently coming to blows over who will see the kids at Christmas.   more »