Recent judgments illustrate the highly complex & sensitive nature of international relocation cases, as Victoria Rylatt & Robyn Laye explain
In brief
- Reviews three recent family court decisions involving international relocation applications by parents, highlighting the nuanced judicial balancing of children’s welfare, parental rights, and practical realities.
- Across all cases, courts applied the welfare checklist and considered children’s wishes, emotional wellbeing, and continuity of relationships—reinforcing that each decision is fact-specific and guided by the best interests of the child.
In Part 1 of this update, we looked at cases involving previous findings of fact (see NLJ, 26 September 2025 p13). Here we look at some further cases which provide us with a valuable insight into the court’s approach towards these difficult and finely balanced decisions.
A father v A mother [2024] EWFC 381 (B)
This case concerned the mother’s application for permission to relocate with the parties’ two children, a son and a daughter, to Australia, and the father’s application for a prohibited steps order to prevent this.
Following the parties’
