Flowchart: Child arrangement orders and the family court process

If you are unable to spend time with your child or children, and if you cannot reach agreement or resolve the situation with the child’s other parent via negotiation, then it may be necessary to involve a solicitor to help you to resolve the dispute.

If mediation has not worked, and all out-of-court options have been exhausted, the last option is to apply to the Family Court for a child arrangements order which determines who the children should live with, who they should have contact with and how often.

Our flow chart provides an overview of the court process, and highlights the role of each party at the various stages of the case.

The chart also outlines the key steps once the case gets to the Family Court.

Click here to download our flowchart of the family court process.

Please be aware that each case is different, and your solicitor will guide you through it in more detail.

If you need help with getting access to your children, our family team will be happy to advise you on how to achieve the best outcome. Please contact us on 020 7426 0400 or click here to complete our enquiry form.

The contents of this article are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have changed since this article was published. Readers should not act on the basis of the information included and should take appropriate professional advice upon their own particular circumstances.