Child arrangement orders
Separating from your partner or getting a divorce when you have children means that you have to make certain arrangements about how you will both manage their care following the split. This includes deciding on where your children will live, what time they will spend with you both and how the contact will take place.
There is no denying that when a relationship breaks down, these discussions are always more difficult, but with help from Avenue Solicitors you can be sure that these issues will be resolved swiftly, with as little disruption to you and your family as possible.
What is a Child Arrangement Order?
A child arrangement order is a court order that outlines the details and arrangements for your children after divorce or separation. This type of order needs to be in place when you and your ex-partner cannot agree the details between you. A child arrangement order does not just have to apply to the parents of a child. There are a number of other people who can apply for Child Arrangement Orders without getting permission from the court.
They are:
- Mother
- Father
- Anyone with parental responsibility (providing a home and protecting and maintaining the child)
Grandparents can also apply to the court to make a Child Arrangement Order, but they do not have an automatic right to do so. Therefore, it is up to the court to decide if they will allow this application.
What Are My Options?
If you have not tried mediation you may decide to try this first. This process allows you both to discuss the issues with a trained mediator, who will try to help move you both towards a settlement. There are some drawbacks though as you will both need to agree to try mediation and in addition, the outcome of may not be legally binding.
Therefore, you should carefully weigh up the cost implications, how long each option will take and then make a final decision based on all the facts.
Pitfalls of not reaching an agreement
If the separation from your former partner or spouse was not amicable, in the absence of any agreements your relationship with your child or children could be severely damaged, as you may have to wait a long time before your contact for example is re-established. In an ideal world this wouldn’t happen but sadly it does. You need to ensure that you are able to exercise your rights as a parent and to ensure that as far as possible arrangements for the children are agreed.
Why Choose Avenue Solicitors?
Choosing the right law firm to represent you when you are making a child arrangement order can be difficult. We do understand how stressful and upsetting disputes over contact and access to your children are, and we will treat the matter with the sensitivity it deserves.
We know what a difference it can make to our family law clients to have an initial consultation with a solicitor. We offer an initial 15-minute Child Arrangements review, during which we can discuss your circumstances, which allows you the opportunity to get some clear information about your situation so you understand the legal processes and the costs involved. Once you have these facts clear in your mind, you can decide if you are going to proceed.
Contact Avenue Solicitors
If you need more information about Child Arrangement Orders or you would like some advice about how to proceed, please get in touch today and we can arrange an initial 15-minute consultation at no charge to you. You can call us on 0800 014 8575 or 0203 540 7665 or if you prefer you can complete the Free Online Enquiry and we’ll be in touch as soon as we can to arrange the consultation.
