Child Arrangements

Child arrangement orders

A child arrangement order is a court order that sets out the agreement you have made regarding your children in a legally-binding way.

You do not have to attend court to get a child arrangement order. If you reach an agreement through your solicitor, for example through direct communication or mediation, you can simply apply to the court for an order without having to attend. Contact our solicitors today for advice and guidance on this.

However, if you need to attend a court hearing for a final decision on the contents of the order, our solicitors can also represent you and ensure your wishes are clearly expressed. 

Child custody / residence

Upon divorce, one of the most important things to decide is where the children will live, and with whom. This is referred to as child custody or residence.

Our solicitors can help you come to a decision amicably, or through a court hearing if required.

Once you have come to a decision, a child arrangement order can make the agreement legally binding.

Child maintenance / financial maintenance

Agreeing what you or your ex-partner should pay towards your children’s needs is one of the most important concerns when separating, but it can also be one of the most stressful.

Our child arrangement solicitors can help you come to a fair agreement, whether you are agreeing directly with each other, through the Child Maintenance Service, or with a court order.

We can also assist you in changing the terms of an existing order, and provide advice on what to do if a former partner has stopped paying their child maintenance payments. 

Mediation

Before going to court, you’re typically required to try and reach a decision through mediation or other alternative dispute resolution processes, unless specific circumstances apply.

Mediation is an effective way to reach an agreement about child arrangements outside of court.  Many of our solicitors are also trained mediators. They will act as an impartial third party, helping you and your ex-partner to reach an agreement about issues including custody and financial maintenance. Mediation is particularly beneficial as it takes away much of the time, stress, and expense that comes with going to court. 

Mediation

Access

If you’re going through a divorce, it’s natural to want to ensure that your children’s lives are disrupted as little as possible. A big part of this is deciding how much time each parent will have with the children.

The court takes the view that children should have full, meaningful relationships with both parents following a divorce, unless this would be harmful to them. 

A child arrangements order can set out when and where each parent will see the child. As with other child arrangements, you’ll be expected to attempt to reach an agreement outside of court, but our solicitors can also help you if court attendance is required.

We can also assist others who have a relationship with the child to ensure that they can maintain this relationship, including step-parents, grandparents, and extended family.

Relocation

Relocating a child, whether in the UK or abroad, is a complicated process. It’s typically not permitted by the court unless both parents agree. 

Our solicitors are here to assist you, whether you wish to relocate with your child, disagree with your former partner’s decision to relocate with your child, or your child has been relocated without your consent.

Specific issues

Our child arrangement solicitors can also help you and your former partner come to an agreement over specific issues that are typically not covered in a child arrangement order. For example:

• Changing the child’s name
• Moving schools and education in general
• Medical treatments
• Religion
• Whether certain people can or cannot have access to the child

A specific issue order can be made by the court in cases where separated parents cannot agree on issues like these. Please get in touch with our solicitors to see how we can help you.

Grandparents' rights

Grandparents often play a huge role in a child’s life. Many grandparents worry that they may not be able to maintain the same relationship with their grandchildren after the children’s parents separate. However, in the UK, grandparents do not have automatic rights to see their grandchildren.

Having said that, the courts usually recognise the important role that grandparents play. Our child arrangement solicitors can help you secure access to your grandchildren. Please get in touch to discuss how we can assist you.