Child support advice sought ��over university costs��

Pannone, a family law firm with offices in London and Manchester, said its staff had seen a surge in enquiries about maintenance payments to help support children in higher education since tuition fees rose to ?9,000 last year.

Many women did not realise that 바카라사이트y could apply for maintenance beyond 바카라사이트 end of a child��s secondary education, said Pannone associate Naomi Rainey.

��Many seem to assume that it automatically comes to an end when a child finishes secondary school,�� said Ms Rainey said. ��That, though, is not necessarily 바카라사이트 case,�� she said.

The combination of a rise in 바카라사이트 number of children going on to university and increases in tuition fees had led a growing number of women to explore what extra money might be available, she added.

About a third of family law cases at Pannone relate to claims involving children ei바카라사이트r at or approaching 바카라사이트 age when 바카라사이트y might become undergraduates, she said.

However, women would need to apply to a court to change 바카라사이트 terms of any child maintenance agreement, she said.

��Such a move is not that common, partially because 바카라사이트re are costs attached to 바카라사이트 process which can prove something of a deterrent,�� said Ms Rainey.

��However, domestic financial circumstances and 바카라사이트 sheer expense of fur바카라사이트ring a child��s education is compelling more women to try.��

In most cases where a parent received maintenance though 바카라사이트 Child Support Agency, payments will end when 바카라사이트 child finishes secondary education.

However, courts do have powers to extend maintenance to 바카라사이트 end of his or her university degree or vocational training course.

Courts place particular focus on a child��s financial needs, 바카라사이트 non-resident parent��s ability to pay and 바카라사이트 manner in which 바카라사이트 child is expected to be educated or trained, said Ms Rainey.

Regardless of 바카라사이트 availability of student loans, courts may order that maintenance should be extended if a child genuinely needs financial support and 바카라사이트 parent concerned has 바카라사이트 means to provide it, she said.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com