In this episode of Family Court Conversations, Gergely Fried of Everyman Justice speaks with Andy Hyde, a Family Court Mentor, Social Worker and Life Coach with almost 40 years of social work experience, including 22 years with Cafcass.

Andy shares his perspective on what parents often misunderstand about Cafcass, how to prepare for contact with a Family Court Adviser, common mistakes parents make, and why experiences can vary between practitioners.

We also discuss parental conflict, co-parenting and parallel parenting, Parenting Plans, litigants in person, McKenzie Friends, and the support families may need before, during and after Family Court proceedings.

Gergely Fried is a McKenzie Friend and founder of Everyman Justice, providing practical support to parents and individuals navigating Family Court proceedings across England and Wales.

Support includes Child Arrangements, Cafcass and Section 7 preparation, court documents and position statements, hearing preparation, divorce and financial remedy support, and McKenzie Friend assistance before and during proceedings.

Everyman Justice:
https://everymanjustice.co.uk/

McKenzie Friend & Family Court Professionals Guide:
https://everymanjustice.co.uk/mckenzie-friend-guide/

Email:
[email protected]

Andy now works directly with parents through Family Court Mentoring, supporting families with child arrangements, co-parenting, Parenting Plans and support before, during and after court proceedings.

Andy Hyde profile and full interview information:
https://everymanjustice.co.uk/mckenzie-friend-guide-andy-hyde/

Andy’s website:
https://familycourtmentoring.com/

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07777 134157

Family Court Conversations is produced by Everyman Justice and explores the realities of Family Court through conversations with professionals and people working directly with separated families.

Everyman Justice provides McKenzie Friend support and practical guidance and is not a firm of solicitors or barristers. This podcast is for general information and discussion and is not a substitute for individual legal advice.

About Everyman JusticeAbout Andy Hyde

In this episode of Family Court Conversations by Everyman Justice, Gergely Fried speaks with Rosie Taylor, founder of McKenzie Friend of the Children, about McKenzie Friends, child arrangements, Cafcass, family court support, regulation, AI, and the future of the McKenzie Friend sector in England and Wales.

This conversation explores what McKenzie Friends can offer, what parents should be careful about, and how family court support can remain practical, realistic and child-focused.

Topics include:

• What McKenzie Friends do in family court

• Child arrangements cases

• Cafcass and early family court involvement

• Choosing a McKenzie Friend carefully

• Red flags and poor practice

• Regulation, standards and public trust

• AI and the future of family court support

Guest:
Rosie Taylor
McKenzie Friend of the Children

Host:
Gergely Fried
Founder of Everyman Justice
Website: https://everymanjustice.co.uk
Email: [email protected]

This episode is for general information and discussion only. It is not legal advice on any individual case.

In this episode of Family Court Conversations, Gergely Fried, founder of Everyman Justice, speaks with Michaela Wade of Michaela Wade Family Law about preparing for family court, presenting evidence, staying credible and avoiding common mistakes when representing yourself.

This honest and practical conversation explores what family court can feel like for ordinary people, how parents can communicate more clearly under pressure, why Cafcass creates so much fear, and why preparation matters before a hearing.

Michaela Wade’s profile page in the Everyman Justice McKenzie Friend Guide:
https://everymanjustice.co.uk/mckenzie-friend-guide-michaela-wade-family-law/

Browse the full McKenzie Friend Guide:
https://everymanjustice.co.uk/mckenzie-friend-guide/

Topics include:

• The biggest mistakes people make in family court
• Preparing evidence and presenting your case clearly
• Whether judges can recognise lies and manipulation
• Dealing with Cafcass and professional reports
• The difference between a McKenzie Friend and a solicitor
• Remaining calm when serious allegations are made
• What “winning” in family court should really mean
• Financial proceedings and concerns about hidden assets
• Artificial intelligence and family court preparation
• Practical guidance before your first hearing

About Everyman Justice

Everyman Justice provides practical McKenzie Friend support for people representing themselves in the family court across England and Wales.

Website:
https://everymanjustice.co.uk/

Email:
[email protected]

About Michaela Wade

Michaela Wade provides family law support and practical guidance to people navigating separation, divorce and family court proceedings.

Website:
https://michaelawadelaw.co.uk/

Book an appointment:
https://michaelawadelaw.co.uk/book-appointment/

Contact Michaela:
https://michaelawadelaw.co.uk/contact/

Email:
[email protected]

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/michaela_wadelaw/

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@michaelalaw101

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/michaela.wade.923/

Important:
This podcast is for general information and discussion only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as a substitute for advice based on the individual circumstances of a case.

#FamilyCourt #McKenzieFriend #EverymanJustice #Cafcass #FamilyLaw #LitigantInPerson

Domestic abuse is not always physical violence. It can include coercive control, emotional abuse, psychological abuse and financial abuse, all of which can have a lasting impact on adults and children.

In this episode of Family Court Conversations, I speak with Amanda from Family Court McKenzie Friend – Kent & London about domestic abuse in family court, how it affects children, the role of IDVAs, Cafcass, social workers and McKenzie Friends, and what parents should understand when navigating the family justice system.

We discuss:
• Domestic abuse beyond physical violence
• Coercive control
• Criminal court vs family court
• How abuse affects children
• DASH risk assessments
• Non-Molestation Orders and Occupation Orders
• The role of a McKenzie Friend
• Practical support for parents navigating family court

This episode is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice.

Guest

Amanda
Family Court McKenzie Friend – Kent & London

Website: https://familycourtmckenziefriend.com/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/family-court-mckenzie-friend-kent-london-370146395/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576721288768

Host

Everyman Justice

https://everymanjustice.co.uk/

Family Court Conversations:
https://everymanjustice.co.uk/mckenzie-friend-guide/

In this episode of Family Court Conversations by Everyman Justice, Gergely Fried speaks with Simon Walland, an experienced McKenzie Friend, trainer and mentor, about what parents and litigants in person should understand before choosing a McKenzie Friend.

We discuss Simon’s journey into family court support, what a McKenzie Friend can and cannot do, how parents can avoid poor-quality support, the role of reviews and training, and where the McKenzie Friend sector may be heading with AI, standards and regulation.

Topics include:

• What a McKenzie Friend actually does
• The difference between a solicitor, barrister and McKenzie Friend
• Red flags to watch for before paying for support
• Reviews, networks and trust
• Training and mentoring in the profession
• AI and the future of family court preparation
• Regulation and the future of the sector

This conversation is for general information and discussion only. It is not legal advice. Anyone involved in family court proceedings should consider getting advice from a qualified legal professional where appropriate.

Simon Walland:

Website: https://www.simon-walland-family-law.co.uk/
Contact: https://www.simon-walland-family-law.co.uk/en/contact
Phone: 07900 414121
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-walland-family-law/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simon_walland_family_law/

Everyman Justice:

Website: https://www.everymanjustice.co.uk
Email: [email protected]
Book a free consultation: https://calendly.com/everymanjustice
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gergely-fried-9bb93379/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UKMcKenzieFriendEverymanJustice

In this first episode of Family Court Conversations by Everyman Justice, Gergely Fried introduces the purpose of the podcast and explains what future episodes will explore.

The podcast focuses on family court support in England and Wales, including McKenzie Friends, litigants in person, Cafcass, child arrangements, access to justice, AI, regulation, and the wider family justice system.

The aim is to help parents better understand what support exists, what to be careful about, and how to stay child-focused during difficult family court proceedings.

Hosted by:

Gergely Fried – Founder of Everyman Justice

Website: https://everymanjustice.co.uk

Email: [email protected]

This podcast is for general information and discussion only. It is not legal advice on any individual case.