Mentoring and Counselling
Empowering single-parents through personalised mentoring and counselling, fostering confidence, resilience, and compassionate care.
Legal Information
We have a list of legal service providers who can offer a free initial consultation with a view to offering a reduced fee moving forward.
Medical Help
We have a list of Service Providers who have volunteered their services to members either free of charge or at reduced rates.
Translation
We are able to provide translation services by our mentors, professional services and committee.
Our aim is to offer help in many forms such as mentoring, counselling, legal information, medical help, translation and much more. We also try to get lone mums and dads into the right, positive mindset through a series of workshops designed to improve the self-esteem of both parents and children, whilst helping to deal with the emotional and mental stress of raising a family single-handed.
We currently operate in the Northern Costa Blanca, Jávea and surrounding areas in Spain but also give distance support to single parents in other countries. We are open to single parents of all nationalities and both sexes. We are happy to hear from single parents further afield and from anyone interested in starting a Guardian Angels ‘wing’ in another area, which we can help with.
We also have a list of Service Providers who have volunteered their services to members either free of charge or at reduced rates. We also have a team of mentors who are able to give emotional support to our members. If you wish to donate please check our Donations page.
If you would like to assist us by offering practical help and becoming a Service Provider, please click here.
If you are a single parent and would like to take advantage of the help and support that we can give, please take a few moments to register by clicking here.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Important legal advice for all single parents
Please review our full FAQs for further information
I want to take my children out of Spain
The subject of leaving the country with a child when separated or divorced is covered in law by the Hague Convention – click here to read details but here are some relevant extracts. The Convention provides that the removal or retention of a child is “wrongful” whenever: “a. It is in breach of rights of custody attributed to a person …………. under the law of the State in which the child was habitually resident immediately before the removal or retention.” “From the Convention’s standpoint, the removal of a child by one of the joint holders without the consent of the other is wrongful. The Convention requires the return of any child who was “habitually resident” in a contracting nation immediately before an action that constitutes a breach of custody or access rights. The Convention does not define the term “habitual residence,” but it is not intended to be a technical term. Instead, courts should broadly read the term in the context of the Convention’s purpose to discourage unilateral removal of a child from that place in which the child lived when removed or retained, which should generally be understood as the child’s “ordinary residence.” However, to defend against the return of the child, the defendant must establish to the degree required by the law of the state where the court is located: (a) that Petitioner was not “actually exercising custody rights at the time of the removal or retention” under Article 13; or (b) that Petitioner “had consented to or acquiesced in the removal or retention” under Article 13; or (c) that more than one year has passed from the time of wrongful removal or retention until the date of the commencement of judicial or administrative proceedings, under Article 12; or (d) that the child is old enough and has a sufficient degree of maturity to knowingly object to being returned to the Petitioner and that it is appropriate to heed that objection, under Article 13; or (e) that “there is grave risk that the child’s return would expose the child to physical or psychological harm or otherwise place the child in an intolerable situation,” under Article 13(b); or (f) that return of the child would subject the child to violation of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, under Article 20
My ex-husband/partner doesn’t pay maintenance for the children. What can I do?
The CSA (Child Support Agency) is the UK Government Department that calculates an absent parent’s maintenance payments and they also have the power to deduct payments from the absent parent’s source of pay. A lot depends on if both parents are British Citizens, married or not and if the child(ren) is/was born in the UK. The CSA can help expats, even if the father or partner is in a different country. These other two websites give free legal advice and may also be helpful – WikiVorce and InBrief
Can I claim family benefit or social security payments as a single family?
Click here to link to the Spanish social security website that explains the entitlement of single parents to child benefit in English
Now that I am the head of the family, what happens if I fall ill or should die?
Each single parent, especially if they have no family here in Spain, should think out a plan for if they become ill or are involved in an accident. Who to contact? Who should take the child(ren) to in case of an emergency? Medical arrangements, health conditions, where passports are kept etc. This should also be translated into Spanish in case the authorities get involved. Each single parent should also write out a statement of what they would like to happen in such a situation and should carry a card “In case of Emergency”. Schools, activities leaders, etc should be told who to contact in an emergency.
What should I do if I am suffering physical violence or abuse from my husband/partner?
If you are suffering any domestic abuse, go to the Guardia Civil and insist on putting down in a denucia stating what has happened. This way the support group Victimas del Delito or other such groups can help. The Guardia will give you various phone numbers of support groups. The Guardia will also come and remove where necessary violent hubbies if you say you are happy to denounce their behaviour; the Guardia are generally very helpful with these sorts of cases – see Guardia Civil.
I have no money and can’t afford food for myself and my children. What can I do?
Have you spoken to social services in your area? They should be able to help. Go to the local church as they should be able to help with food, etc. Caritas is run internationally by the Catholic church but they help everyone. Normally they give out bags of food. There might be a Caritas near you. You can find out by visiting their website http://www.caritas.org/. Caritas Española operates through 68 diocesan offices, which manage the work of 65,000 volunteers. In Spain, Caritas works to support vulnerable and marginalized people, the poor and needy, immigrants and young people in difficulty, among others. It supports research into the causes of poverty and regularly produces publications on related issues. Also, try the Salvation Army, tel: 89249 9567. There is a centre for disadvantaged children and young people is located just outside Málaga city called CIUDAD DE LOS NIÑOS. The centre is run by brothers from the Catholic religious order “Hermanos Obreros de María” and is approved and monitored by the Andalusian Regional Government. On-site residence is provided for destitute children and those removed from parent custody, while the on-site school is also open to children from low-income families and caters to their special learning needs. The centre is located at Finca los Asperos in Malaga. For more information, tel: 952 179 150 or e-mail Brother Juan Correa at Email: director@cnmalaga.com. The Red Cross (Cruz Roja) is a well known worldwide charitable organization. In Andalucia and all over Spain there are hospitals run by the Cruz Roja. They do all sorts of charitable work and they also run first aid courses at very reasonable prices. Most of the staff and volunteers are likely to be Spanish speakers. They have centres and help points all over the Costa del Sol and Andalucia. For more information contact: Head Office, Cruz Roja Malaga, Paseo de la Farola, 29016 Málaga. Tel: 952 217 631 / 2 e-mail: malaga@cruzroja.es
Familia Numerosa Cards
Here in Spain, families with three or more children are entitled to “familia numerosa” benefits. Each person in the family, children and parent(s) receive their own card. These cards get you discounts on all sorts of things – transport, theme parks, electricity, IBI and basura charges, some shops etc. You can apply for these cards at Social Services in Javea (2nd floor). Ask at the enquiries window and say you want to apply for familia numerosa. Take your I.D., the children’s birth certificates/family book if you have one and proof of address. The cards come by post but take about a month to arrive.
I need legal advice and I live in Javea
Single parents can go to see the lawyer at Social Services in Jávea. We believe her name is Rosa. She is on the second floor and you need an appointment – there’s no
charge and you can talk to her about whatever you want and then she advises you what to do. Many single parents are entitled to legal aid (a free lawyer) if needed for court etc. This can be arranged through Rosa at Social Services or, more quickly, at the Denia Court. They give you a form to fill in and a list of paperwork required but as soon as the application goes in, any pending court case etc. is put on hold until the free lawyer is assigned, then you go to see him or her without having to pay for anything (consultations, lawyer’s letters, court etc.) You get a letter through the post telling you who you’ve been assigned – it may be possible to request an English-speaking lawyer. The important thing is that it is not necessary to pay out to see lawyers if you are entitled to legal aid
Thank you Vernon and to Guardian Angels for making a difference in my life and that of my precious children’s lives these last 2.5 years. You helped me through the most difficult period of my life, and I will always be incredibly grateful for that. We leave here as a family of 6 per God’s plan to make a new life in New Zealand. Thanks and God Bless xx