If you are dissolving a civil partnership or going forward for a divorce, and you have children. Then, you will need to come to a mutual agreement regarding your child’s custody and who will look after them. However, the law is focused on protecting the rights of your children. It ensures their relationship with the parents is maintained unless there are exceptions and situations like the risk of harm. Such an arrangement between two partners for their children may be called ‘child custody’ or ‘child arrangement’.
While both the parents aim to decide the child arrangements together in a general scenario, there can be disputes or fights in certain cases. In such matters, the couples can get legal advice from child custody lawyers or seek direct help from the court for assistance and apply for a child arrangement to decide who will live with the children and how often they can spend time with the other parent.
How to Get a Child Arrangement Order?
As an initial step, you need to make an application to the court for a child custody order. But before proceeding with the application, it is mandatory for both the parents to attend a Mediation Information Assessment Meeting (MIAM). This meeting is designed to figure out if the parents can reach an agreement through the process of mediation rather than taking forward the final step of visiting the court.
If the parents cannot reach a mutual agreement, you need to complete a court form and submit it to the court and the relevant details. If you have hired one of the child custody solicitors, he/she will prepare the application on your behalf and follow the remaining legal processes required to issue the application. He/she will also make sure it is served upon the other party before representing the same at the first court hearing. This is just the first stage of the process, and the application issued in this stage will include the following details:
- a short statement involving the issues in dispute
- a supplementary application in case of any suspected risk of harm to the child where he/she is currently living
- The advice of the date for the court hearing
Additionally, you need to draft all the papers for approval and then lodge them with the court to be issued. The application will be lodged in the court that is nearest to the child’s location, i.e., where he/she is currently living. Next, you will be required to arrange for the service of the papers on all relevant parties and file the certificate of service with the court.
As you may already know, you will need legal representation for you to follow these processes. So, you must make the best pick among the child arrangement order solicitors available in your location.
Can a Child Arrangement Order Be Changed?
In case you are not happy with the court’s decision, you can apply to vary a child custody order. The only condition is if you are not able to agree with the other parent. If such is the case, you can apply to vary the terms of the child arrangement order, rather than breaching the order or denying access since this can give the other party a stronger hold. They can then apply for enforcement proceedings.
How can Osbourne Pinner Help You?
At Osbourne Pinner, we are a team of highly experienced child arrangement order lawyers in London. If you are looking to get legal consultation for your child’s custody at a reasonable price, then feel free to contact our team of child custody solicitors. We will also help you understand the laws regarding your child’s custody, address your queries, and provide complete help in your matter at every level. Book an appointment today to get a legal consultation!
