Hi everyone.
I'm desperately seeking some advice. Apologies for keeping things a little vague I'm trying to ensure i protect another person's identity.
Someone very close to me has been married for more than a decade and has 2 children. The last few years have been rocky in the relationship, but they've been trying to work through things. One person in the relationship lets call them Buck up and announced yesterday that they were done. That it was over and they aren't doing it anymore. Buck has not left the marital home nor has he announced any intention to do so.
The other person, lets call them Star, is very hurt and sad about this but sees that there isn't really anything to be done. Star has also not left the marital home as they won't leave the children.
Star is very worried about their future. Their primary job is a non traditional job which involves unusual hours, such as early mornings, after school and weekends. They do also have a second office type job 2 days a week. but they are concerned that separating will mean they won't be able to work in their primary job at all anymore, since the hours they work, particularly early mornings will be impossible to get childcare. They don't earn enough for it to be feasible to pay for childcare for all their working hours in that job.
They also have said that they won't get a divorce lawyer because they can't afford it, which is true and i can understand but surely there must be some way of getting some sort of legal advice?
I don't believe that Buck will be deliberately unfair in the separation/divorce process. but I want Star to be sure she is safe and not totally ruined by this. Buck is by far the primary earner in the family, though their house (and mortgage) is equally in both their names.
Aside, from providing emotional support and practically helping with the children etc. as much as i can. How can i best support Star? where are the best places to go for advice? is there any way of getting free legal advice?
I am single, never married, and so don't really know how to help with ducks in a row stuff.