The Story Behind The Court Mum
Let’s get personal.
My journey through the Family Court system began in 2018.
What I thought would be a single legal process turned into something far bigger. Over the last eight years I have been involved in four separate court processes, each one teaching me something new - not only about the court system, but about myself.
At the beginning, I was vulnerable, naïve and completely unfamiliar with how the system worked. I didn’t always take the advice that was given to me, and in hindsight I set myself several steps back. It has taken years to reach the position I had hoped for from the start, and the journey is still ongoing.
But now - I’m confident and empowered.
Like many parents entering the system, I initially relied heavily on legal representation. The costs add up quickly. Legal advice, solicitors, barristers, hearings - tens of thousands of pounds can disappear faster than you ever imagine.
For me, the funds ran out just before one of the most significant hearings of my life: the hearing that would determine the Lives With Order for my son.
By that stage there was no choice left.
I had to represent myself.
For two full days in court I sat alone, while the other side was represented by two solicitors and a barrister. It was one of the most daunting experiences I have ever faced.
And yet - I won.
It wasn’t easy. The process was exhausting and emotionally draining. There were countless nights spent writing position statements, preparing witness statements, reviewing evidence and trying to understand legal procedures that felt completely foreign at first.
But over time something changed.
I realised that no one knew my case better than I did. No one understood the details, the history or the evidence in the same way.
Through necessity, I learned the process.
I had support along the way and I was fortunate for that - but not all guidance was helpful, and ultimately the responsibility always came back to me.
Looking back, I realised something important.
I was not alone.
Many parents enter the Family Court system believing they cannot leave a difficult or abusive situation because they fear they will “lose” in court. I remember thinking exactly that at the beginning, and I definitely stayed longer than I should have, despite experiencing coercive control and multiple forms of abuse.
That reality forced me to start researching the system more deeply - and the statistics were startling.
Family Courts are under-resourced. Legal aid funding has been significantly reduced. Charities that offer support are stretched beyond capacity.
At the same time, the cost of legal representation continues to rise.
The result?
More and more parents are left navigating the Family Court system alone.
Uninformed. Overwhelmed. And still trying to be the best parent they can for their child.
That realisation changed everything for me.
I had spent endless nights learning the system simply because I had no other choice. But in doing so, I realised something else — there was no single place where the process was explained clearly.
Most resources fell into one of two categories:
expensive coaching sessions
expensive legal professionals
I couldn’t find a place that simply broke things down in plain English so parents could understand what was happening and feel informed enough to navigate the process.
So I decided to create one.
The Court Mum was born from that idea.
A place designed to explain the Family Court system clearly, share practical knowledge, and help other parents feel less alone when navigating one of the most difficult experiences of their lives.
The idea came to me the night before I was granted permission by the court to relocate.
In many ways, it felt like the closing of one chapter - and the beginning of another.
Why The Court Mum Exists
Because no parent should have to navigate Family Court alone.