Child Arrangement and Contact

Arrangements concerning your children are often the most sensitive and important aspect to resolve if you are separating from your partner.

We understand that dealing with your ex-partner over issues surrounding your children is often stressful and emotional. Our aim is to help you achieve the child arrangements you want quickly and amicably.

Court applications should be the last resort. We can assist you in trying the other options available, such as referring your matter to Mediation, arranging a collaborative meeting with your former partner, or entering into written negotiation with your former partner or their solicitor.

If the above options are not applicable, then the last option would be to apply to Court for a Child Arrangements Order. It should be noted that you cannot make an application for a CAO without first attending mediation unless any of the exemption criteria apply.

You might be worried about:

• Your ex-partner having contact with your child,
• Your ex-partner not sticking to the contact arrangement you have agreed,
• The choice in school for your child,
• The name your child will use.

Our family solicitors regularly deal with these types of matters and can explain how best to manage your case and avoid unnecessary legal fees. We can assist you with completing application forms and the fee remission forms to ensure that your matter is started without any delay or further issue.

The Child Arrangements application can cover:

• Prohibiting your ex from removing your child from your care,
• Regulating contact, with penalties should either party not stick to the contact ordered,
• Determine where and with whom your child should live and which school they should go to,
• Determine if your child’s name needs to be changed.

It is important that these forms are completed correctly to avoid them being returned by the Court, which can cause delay. These forms will also form part of your evidence and be your position in the Child Arrangements proceedings, so it is crucial that they are right from the onset.

Contact us today to book your fixed fee 30-minute CAO consultation. In this meeting, we can talk about your position, the child arrangement issues you are facing, and whether you are exempt from mediation. We will go through your options and the next best steps so that you have a clear action plan of what needs to be done to get the child arrangements you want.