Blog
Rayner my parade! The importance of specialist advice.
Jemma Brimblecombe
1 November 2019
National Fertility Awareness Week – facing fertility issues and the strains it can place on relationships
This week is National Fertility Awareness Week. Culminating with World Fertility Day on 2 November 2019, Fertility Network UK’s focus throughout the week includes: the impact of infertility on your mental health; infertility in the workplace; men and infertility; and fertility education. A huge number of important issues are raised, and stories shared, which helps us to see that infertility touches the lives of many people in many ways. In this blog, Connie Atkinson shares her personal experience of dealing with fertility issues and how she as a family and divorce lawyer witness the strain it can place on relationships.
19 June 2019
International surrogacy – deadline approaching for single applicants to apply for a parental order
In January, we blogged about the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (Remedial) Order 2018 (the “Remedial Order”), which came into force then and permitted single applicants to apply for a parental order for the first time in the UK. As with the original Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, the Remedial Order provides that intended parents will have six months from the birth of their surrogate child in which to make their application for a parental order. In this blog, Connie Atkinson looks at what single applicants have to do by 2 July 2019.
7 January 2019
A positive start to the New Year: Remedial Order permitting single applicants to apply for Parental Orders now in force
As the world woke groggily from their festive slumber and thought tentatively about returning to work on Thursday 3rd January, an important and transformative step was being taken as the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (Remedial) Order 2018 (the “Remedial Order”) was finally brought into force permitting single applicants to apply for Parental Orders in respect of their biological children born through surrogacy.
8 November 2018
Pressing pause on parenthood – when relationship breakdown affects consent to storage and use of embryos
Our first ‘pressing pause on parenthood’ blog discussed the reported increase in women looking at preserving their fertility using methods such as egg freezing. As part of our blog series looking at fertility and alternative ways of conceiving, we highlight below some further key issues which we encourage prospective parents to discuss with their clinic and families before making hugely important decisions about having a family.
15 May 2018
Surrogacy and Parental Orders for single parents - the ‘non-urgent’ road to change
Since May 2016, prospective single applicants for Parental Orders for surrogate children have waited with bated breath for the change in the law that permits them to make their applications, independent of their relationship status. At the end of last year, it was announced that a remedial order to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (HFEA) had been placed before Parliament. However, five months have now passed and the question remains whether we are any closer to change.
