Family Court McKenzie Friend – Kent & London is featured in the Everyman Justice McKenzie Friend Guide, a growing collection of interviews with McKenzie Friends and other family court professionals from across England and Wales.
Every McKenzie Friend works differently. Some focus mainly on child arrangements, others on financial remedies or injunctions. This interview explores the perspective of a professional whose background combines many years supporting people affected by domestic abuse with practical experience helping parents represent themselves in the family court.
Supporting families through difficult family court proceedings
Family Court McKenzie Friend – Kent & London provides practical support for people representing themselves in family court, including child arrangements, Non-Molestation Orders, Occupation Orders, divorce, financial matters and court applications.
Before becoming a professional McKenzie Friend, Amanda spent more than twenty years working alongside families affected by domestic abuse in a variety of specialist support roles. That experience has given her a detailed understanding of safeguarding, risk assessment and the emotional pressures many parents experience long before they ever arrive at court.
Throughout the interview, what comes across most clearly is her calm, practical approach. Rather than focusing on conflict, she explains how understanding the process, recognising risk and working with the right professionals can help families move forward more safely.
What we discussed
Unlike many conversations about domestic abuse, this interview avoids sensational headlines and instead focuses on practical questions that parents genuinely ask.
Topics include:
- what domestic abuse actually means beyond physical violence;
- coercive control and why it can be difficult to recognise;
- how children are affected even when abuse is not directed at them;
- the difference between criminal proceedings and family court proceedings;
- DASH risk assessments and safeguarding;
- Non-Molestation Orders and Occupation Orders;
- the role of an IDVA, Cafcass officer, social worker and McKenzie Friend;
- professional boundaries when supporting families through court.
The aim was not simply to explain the law, but to help listeners understand how these different pieces fit together in real family court cases.
A few moments from the conversation
When asked what domestic abuse really means, Amanda explained:
“Domestic abuse is about power and control over another person. It doesn’t have to be physical violence.”
Speaking about children, she also reminded listeners that:
“Children hear and see things, and they experience the effects domestic abuse has on that household.”
Later in the interview, discussing the role of a McKenzie Friend, she emphasised:
“Don’t act like a solicitor… You’re there for your client, to support them through what they’re going through.”
These moments reflect the overall tone of the conversation: practical, balanced and centred on helping families understand the system rather than creating unnecessary conflict.
Why this interview may be useful
Domestic abuse is one of the most complex issues the family court has to consider.
Parents often struggle to understand how allegations are assessed, how different professionals become involved, and why the family court sometimes reaches different conclusions from the criminal courts.
This conversation offers a clear introduction to those issues in plain English, making it useful not only for parents representing themselves, but also for anyone wanting a better understanding of how domestic abuse is considered within family proceedings.
About Family Court McKenzie Friend – Kent & London
Website
https://familycourtmckenziefriend.com/
Email
enquiries@familycourtmckenziefriend.com
Phone
07763 834899
Watch the full interview
Looking for support with your own family court case?
If you’re currently representing yourself in the family court and would like practical guidance, you can also explore the rest of the McKenzie Friend Guide, where professionals from different backgrounds explain how they approach supporting families through court.
If you’d like to discuss your own case, you’re also welcome to book a free consultation with Everyman Justice.