Family courts

[ScabbersChin]

At what age do the family courts listen to the wishes of children?

They take them into account quite young in my experience.. in my own family, they gave my sons wishes huge sway at 13. He basically got what he wanted in terms of residency.

I've been told by friends that court we're interested in childrens wishes and thoughts much younger though.

in cases where abuse/welfare isn't a factor obviously

They have more of an influence in the teen years, 13+ but they will still take their feelings into consideration when younger. That doesn't mean to say the Court will go with what the child wants.

They didn’t take my stepsons wishes into account at 11. They should’ve done, his home life was terrible. We now have custody of two of his younger siblings. It was too late for him, he’s fully entrenched in that life now after years of neglect and sees it as normal. Wish we could’ve got them all out way back then.

My friend has a DD who is 8 and she is being heard on her own and her opinion taken into account (via, I think, CAFCASS)