Better access to kids for partner & court info

[Sparkleec]

Hello,
My partner gets very limited access to his children, infant school age although not young, young children, ends up being just a mere few hours on a Saturday or Sunday and it's really not enough. We'll be out having a nice time but end up clock watching as it's soon time to take them back and the whole visit is rushed. He has tried being reasonable with his ex, asking etc for longer/sleepovers etc and excuses are made all the time as to why this can't happen and it just seems really unreasonable like she wants them all to herself. As a mother myself I can see that he is so lovely with his own children and mine, and I can't see any reason why he and his children can't have more quality time with one another, they clearly love spend8ng time with him. He's put up with this for a number of years with her calling the shots, it's making everybody miserable, and I have told him she is never going to be any different unless he does something about it, ie court. I have told him to go and see a solicitor which might hopefully make him feel better about the situation and his rights, and start the ball rolling, forgetting about the costs as he owes this to his children. However speaking to a male friend recently who was on a similar situation a number of years ago, he said he turned up at court and requested a date, paid a fee, represented himself and got better access including sleepovers. Has anyone any experience of doing this, as it seems a lot more straightforward, cheaper and quicker than the other option? I must point out that he is not trying to take the children away or anything like that, but just for them to all enjoy one anothers time for more than a few hours. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help.

He has to try mediation first - a MIAM. The mediator will sign the relevant section on his C100 if mediation is unsuccessful or unsuitable.

Form C100 is the application form. CB1 and CB7 will provide additional information to assist with completing the forms.

Once the court receives the completed form (with mediator's signature) they will list it for a first hearing. Lots of people represent themselves - whether this is a good idea or not will depend entirely on the individual circumstances of the case.

The vast majority of dads are awarded overnight contact if they go to court. If he wants overnights and there are no good reasons not to have them, he should go for it. DH's ex wouldn't allow overnight contact. He took her to court and got 40% of the children's time!

Please don't refer to it as 'access to his children' they are not possessions. I am sure you are not deliberately wording it in a negative way OP and you are just trying to help your partner but it must be remembered that it is about the children having contact I.e. time with their dad.
Hope a resolution is reached that works best for the children.

Thanks. I used the term access as I thought that was the term that was used, I will use contact from now on. The children clearly want to spend more time with their dad, not wanting to go home after their few hours, asking their mum for sleepovers, only to be told 'when your older' or whatever the excise of the day is. This definitely isn't my partner just thinking about himself, he can see that this affects the children and they are not getting enough.