Child Arrangement Solicitors

Ensuring arrangements for the care of your children are clear, fair and on a firm footing

Expert negotiations and advice
Sensitive approach from experienced team
Prioritising your child's wellbeing

Book An Appointment

01782 205000

0161 929 8494

Child Arrangements Solicitors

The wellbeing of their children will be the number one priority for most couples who are separated or going through divorce.

If you are struggling to agree arrangements for caring for your children, including when each parent should be able to spend time with the children, the situation can become fraught, leading to disagreements and arguments that can have a detrimental impact on the children involved.

Parents must attempt mediation if an agreement cannot be reached directly between them. If mediation is not suitable or an outcome cannot be achieved, our child arrangement solicitors can help you to achieve an agreement on practical arrangements and, if necessary, assist you in making an application to the family court for a child arrangements order.

To protect your children and minimise any adverse impact on them, call our child arrangements solicitors for advice.

Meet Our Child Arrangement Solicitors

The welfare and happiness of their children is of paramount importance to parents who have separated.

Our experienced solicitors can help you to put arrangements in place to ensure caring responsibilities are clear and agreed.

Make an appointment with one of our child arrangement solicitors to find out more.

Speak to an expert:

01782 205000

0161 929 8494

enquiry@beswicks.com

Sarah Jones Family Partner / Head of Family Law

Daniel Rushton Family Law Partner

Lauren Jodrell Family Law Senior Associate

Sarah Abbotts Family Law Associate

Arrangements For Children Following Divorce

There are many factors that affect the children of couples who are separating or divorcing, all of which require careful consideration, negotiation and expert advice from a child arrangements solicitor.

Some of the practical issues to agree with your ex-partner are:

Who the children will live with
How much time each parent can spend with the children
Who will look after the children during school holidays
Arrangements for parents taking children away on holidays
Agreement regarding religious upbringing
How parents will stay in touch with their children when they are not with them
Who will pay for the needs of the children
How you and your ex-partner will communicate with each other about the children

Even couples who initially manage to amicably agree child arrangements can encounter problems when things don’t go to plan, and the arrangements aren’t adhered to. In these circumstances, or if an agreement cannot be reached at the outset, you may require a more formal approach. Child arrangements solicitors can guide you through the process. Depending on your circumstances, this could be by way of a child arrangements order.

Child Arrangements Orders

If you cannot agree on arrangements for caring for your children and mediation has been unsuccessful, you may need a child arrangements order. This is a formal order made by the family court that regulates arrangements for your children, outlining:

who the child is to live, spend time or have contact with
when the child is to live, spend time or have contact with any person

Contact means the time that a child spends with an adult such as a parent or carer. There are several ways that contact may take place; direct contact, overnight stays, supervised contact, Facetime and even indirect through letters and cards.

A child arrangements order may provide for the child to live with one parent only or to share their time between both parents. An order that provides for a child to spend time with both parents does not necessarily mean the child’s time will be spent equally between their parents. The child may still spend more time at one home than at the other and the child arrangements order will usually detail how the child’s time is to be divided in line with what is in the best interests of the child.

In rare circumstances, when it is determined by the court as being in the best interests of the child, an order can be made stating that there should be no contact.

Obtaining A Child Arrangements Order

To obtain a child arrangements order you will need assistance from a child arrangements solicitor who can guide you through the process of applying to the court for an order. You will also need to demonstrate that you have attempted mediation before making an application to the court (unless domestic violence is a factor or there are issues relating to the safety of the child).

When the court receives the application, it will set a time and place for a first hearing dispute resolution appointment (FHDRA). This is when the court investigates the issues and determines what further steps are needed to enable the court to deal with case.

If agreement cannot be reached, the court will identify the outstanding issues and will direct how the case should proceed. For example, the court might order that a Cafcass (Children and Families Court Advisory and Support Service) officer prepares a report to help the court at the final hearing if there are welfare issues. The court may require additional evidence that will be necessary based on the facts of each individual case. The parties involved may need to prepare written statements of the evidence that they want the court to hear. If the issues cannot be agreed between the parties the court will hold a final hearing. The court will hear evidence from the adults involved, possibly the Cafcass officer and any other necessary experts, and then make a decision in light of the evidence in accordance with the Welfare Checklist.

How Beswicks Family Law Solicitors Can Help With Child Arrangements

Establishing and agreeing arrangements for children can be a sensitive and difficult process. The wellbeing of the children involved must remain the overriding priority of all those who are involved. For this reason, it is important to entrust child arrangements matters to experienced child arrangements solicitors. To ensure your child arrangements are agreed and, if necessary, formalised correctly, so that your children can adapt to their new routine and flourish, book an appointment with our child arrangements solicitors. Their vast experience and sensitive approach will ensure the best possible outcome for you and your family.

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