Q My ex and I had a very stormy relationship right from the beginning and she ended our relationship after finding out she was pregnant, even though that was not what I wanted. Despite us no longer being together I vowed I would stand by her and the baby. Now he has been born I want more than ever to be part of his life when he is growing up, but my ex is refusing to put me on his birth certificate because she has been told we will have to share our time with him equally. Is this correct?

Q: Over Christmas I found out my husband had taken another woman to his work’s party after telling me that wives and partners were not invited. He stayed out all night, at a mate’s house, he says, but I don’t believe him. I am completely distraught and I have told him I want a divorce but he says I can’t divorce him because he didn’t sleep with this woman. Is this true?

A leading Wrexham expert on Child Law and Mental Health issues has expressed ‘extreme concern’ following a report which highlighted a huge rise in the number of newborn babies being taken into care in England and suggestions that it is the fault of failing Childrens’ Services departments. 

Q: I got divorced three years ago and our children live with me. My ex has regular access to them, taking them out and such, but now he and his new partner want the children to stay over with them at Christmas. The problem is that being Christmas they are bound to have more than a few alcoholic drinks and when they do drink they invariably argue and I am worried in case the children hear them and get upset. What can I do?

Q:  My husband has had alcohol and depression problems for years. Our children are now approaching their teens and starting to question his behaviour. He has agreed to separate but won’t discuss divorce at this stage. The family home is worth £500k.

Q: When my father made his Will the house was written into a discretionary trust so that if he died Mum would be able to live there until she died but it would pass on to me and my two brothers on her death. The thinking was that if Mum remarried her new spouse would not be able to benefit from the house, which is worth around £800k. My father was delighted when he heard about the £1 million IHT allowance announced in the summer. I, however, am concerned about what implications the changes may have on the discretionary trust. Please could you clarify the situation?