Separated parents are now encouraged by the Family Courts in England & Wales to try and reach agreements on child arrangements (often referred to still as access, contact, visitation rights) without making an application to court.

It is often extremely difficult to communicate effectively with a former partner and this is where mediation can assist.  (Other forms of effective alternative resolution disputes (ARD) are available but for the purpose of this blog, I will refer to mediation, which is probably the most common type of ARD.

Do you have to attend mediation for a Child Arrangement Order?

It is now a requirement to attend mediation before an application for a Child Arrangement Order is made to the Family Court.  If mediation fails, it is likely that you would be advised to make an application to court under the Children Act 1989 for a Child Arrangement Order.

A Child Arrangement Order is a court order that sets out who is responsible for the care of a child. It is usually used when the parents cannot agree on how to split care of their children.

A Child Arrangement Order can define: Who the child/children live with, where they live and when and how the child/children will spend time with both parents.

A Child Arrangement Order can also define telephone/video contact, indirect contact, such as when letters/cards and gifts can be sent to a child/children, and how often that should take place.

Once a Child Arrangement Order has been made by the Family Court, the parties should adhere to the arrangements set out within that order.

Prior to the Family Court making Child Arrangements Orders, the Court must be satisfied that any contact is safe contact.

Why Choose King Street Solicitors?

We are a firm of solicitors who specialise in child arrangements for children.  We advise and assist separated parents, helping them to reach agreements which are in the best interest of their child or children.

If it is not possible to reach an agreement regarding arrangements on an amicable basis, we will advise on making an application to the Family Court for a Child Arrangement Order

Clients will often use the term “access” or “contact” or “visitation rights”.  These are not terms used by the Family Law Courts nowadays.  However, all of these “terms” are encompassed under the term – “Child Arrangement Order”.

Our friendly and knowledgeable Family Team is here to advise, guide and assist you through the Family Law process of negotiating with your former partner, making referrals to mediation, preparing court applications and representing you at court until your case is concluded.

Get in touch with us today for more information on how we can support you.

Disclaimer: The content in this blog post is for informational purposes only and should not be seen as formal legal advice. King Street Solicitors is not responsible for any reliance on the information in this post. We do not take responsibility for the content of any external websites linked in the post. Any link to a third-party website should not be seen as an endorsement by King Street Solicitors.