Divorcing parents typically have difficulty coming to terms with the care of their children. In most cases, disagreements may be handled via dialogue and compromise. In cases when a couple can not agree on what will happen to their children, the next step may be to seek a Child
Arrangement Order (CAO). At this stage, parents can benefit from a Family Law Solicitor or if they can not afford the cost of a Family Law Solicitor then they can count on the capable support of the Family Law Paralegal form like Court Help Limited
Court help limited has served clients on Complex Child Arrangement Matters, Non-Molestation Order Defence and Occupation Order matters as well as Appeals in family law, and has 80 plus FIVE-star reviews.
What is a Child Arrangement Order?
Each parent's time with their children is specified in detail in an order issued by the court called a Child Arrangement Order (CAO). The parents of a child are bound by a court order of this kind.
If you are going through a divorce and need help with child custody issues, InCourt i.e Court Help Limited can help! Call 07375757510 or contact us at help@inCourt.co.uk if you have any questions or concerns about your legal situation. You may also fill out our Free Online Enquiry Form.
Furthermore, we can help you no matter where you are located by providing remote meetings using phone or video conferencing software.
How to File for a Child Arrangement Order?
A Mediation Information Assessment Meeting is required before applying for a Child Arrangement Order (MIAM). All parties involved must attend this meeting when a trained mediator will assess whether an agreement on child arrangements can be achieved via an alternative dispute resolution procedure such as mediation or if the matter must go to court.
Conflicts between divorcing spouses may be resolved via mediation rather than in court, which is often less expensive and time-consuming. Mediation, on the other hand, necessitates that parties join the process to negotiate an agreement.
When this is not an option, the father or parents may turn to the courts to work out a solution. If the mediator thinks the case is not acceptable for mediation, this initial phase may be avoided. For example, domestic violence instances may not be suitable.
Thereafter, if mediation is not a possibility, you must fill out an application for a Child Arrangement Order with all required information and expressly state your intention to do so in court.
A date for your first hearing will be set after the Court has received all the appropriate papers. First, the Court will strive to get an understanding of the problems at hand and the actions that must be followed to resolve them.
As a final step, the Court will issue an order codifying the parties' agreement to the dispute, which will put an end to the proceedings.
If an agreement can not be reached at the initial hearing, the case will continue via further hearings, which may include collecting more information on the case, having a CAFCASS officer spend time with the children, and asking the father or parents to provide testimony.
It will be recorded in a court order that the Court's judgment on the arrangements was made at the last hearing.
Who can apply for a Child Arrangement Order?
When a child's biological parents divorce or split, a Child Arrangement Order (CAO) is often granted. In certain cases, however, this is not the case. A Child Arrangement Order may be requested by anybody who has parental responsibility, regardless of whether they are the child's biological or stepparent, guardian, or another relative.
It is not unusual for grandparents, for example, to seek a Child Arrangement Order if they believe they are being unjustly limited in their ability to see their grandchildren. It is necessary, however, for the grandparent to apply to the Court for authorization to seek a Child Arrangement Order before they may begin the procedure unless the grandmother is also regarded to be a guardian of the child.
A qualified family law solicitor can help you with filling out the forms and providing you with valuable advice. You can visit the Solicitor Regulatory Authority website to find details of qualified daily law solicitors. However, for any reason, if you do not wish to use solicitors you can contact Family Law Paralegals like us and we can assist you if you choose to instruct us.
How Much Does the Child Arrangement Order Cost?
To get a Child Arrangement Order, you will need to hire a lawyer or a legal firm to aid you. There is a court fee to file for a court order, but you may expect to spend the most money on legal fees.
To get an accurate estimate, it is important to know how complicated the case is and if an agreement can be made via mediation at an early stage (a preliminary hearing), or whether the case has to go through to its ultimate hearing.
Lawyers' / Solicitor fees may not be required or may be relatively minimal during mediation, but they might rise to thousands of pounds if the case goes all the way through a full hearing.
Make a Free Inquiry
You may get in touch with us for free if you have any questions about any of the topics covered in this article or if you need help with child custody arrangements. You can phone 07375757510, email help@inCourt.co.uk , or fill out our Free Online Enquiry Form.
Please do note that this article is NOT legal advice and should not be treated as legal advice.