Advice for the Non-Nuclear Family

The nuclear family is fast becoming a thing of the past.  Divorce is a viable and socially accepted option when two people decide to go their separate ways, whether there is a family involved or not.  It is also no longer expected that people marry before they have children together, and many couples choose to cohabitate and raise a family without getting married.  Also, fathers often stay at home to look after children while mothers go out to work, or both parents can continue to have successful careers and to outsource the responsibility of childcare to other people. So, with all these options available to us, it is no surprise that sometimes family matters can become complicated, particularly when it comes to children.  Often in divorce cases or separations, paternity of children is questioned and can be used against various parties when determining required payments and responsibilities.  Similarly, if you find that yourself or a family member need medical attention or help financially, it can be difficult to ascertain definite relationships which can lead to unnecessary struggles.   So what are the sensible things to do in this situation?  First of all it is important to do your own research and determine what options you have available to you and what your problems mean, www.wikipedia.com is a good place to start and build your search from there.  Seeking legal advice is also a good idea once you have determined exactly what your problems are and the solutions that you would like to see put in place, and there are any number of global companies that can help you with this, such as Citizens Advice Bureau http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/ in the UK.   An increasingly popular and sensible tool in these situations is also to undergo DNA testing, in order to prove paternity for divorce cases or even to provide proof of parenthood when a child might need medical or educational help.  The DNA Testing Company Limited can help with this so start by visiting http://www.gtldna.co.uk/   All of the above methods are free and relatively cost effective, which can provide one less thing to worry about during difficult times, whatever they may be.  Keeping thorough records is also important, including payslips, bank statements, medical histories and birth and death records.  It might seem obvious but the more information you have about you and your family, the quicker things will get done, and whether in a filing cabinet or on a spread sheet this is a good idea.   With any luck, whatever your family structure is like, things will be trouble free and amicable, but it is good to know some simple, basic steps to take should you need them.