Child Arrangements Order

A Child Arrangements Order is a legal order where the court decides either where a child will live or who a child can spend time with and for how long.  We’ll be talking about the first kind, which establishes who the child will live with.  These used to be called Residence Orders.

The person named in a Child Arrangements Order shares parental responsibility for the child with the parents and can make the most important decisions on behalf of the child without needing the permission of the parents.  It lasts until the child turns 18 unless the court states otherwise.

In most cases, you have to attend a mediation, information and assessment meeting (MIAM) to assess whether mediation may be a suitable way of resolving your case before you can apply for a Child Arrangements Order.

How can we help you?

Our team of divorce & family law solicitors can provide help for parents who are struggling with a custodial dispute, whether or not they end up going to court for a child arrangements order. Our team of divorce & family law solicitors can provide advice and advocacy, help with drafting legal documents and agreements, and other tasks. For example, a solicitor can:

• Provide legal advice for a parent who is trying to reach a custody agreement with an ex-spouse or partner;
• Provide legal advice for a grandparent or other relative who needs to seek the court’s permission to apply for an arrangement order;
• Provide legal advice during the mediation process;
• Help fill in forms and prepare legal documents required during the process of applying for and obtaining the order, and file the appropriate documents with the court;
• Prepare and send to the court the application for a child arrangements order, and arrange for the order to be served on the other parent or guardian;
• Prepare evidence and supplemental information for subsequent hearings, to ensure the courts have all the information they need to make a decision.