Calderwood House, Montpellier Parade, Cheltenham GL50 1UA
We provide clear and practical legal advice on child arrangements, parental responsibility and court applications. Whether you are trying to agree where your child should live and how time is shared, or need help with a Child Arrangements Order, our family solicitors can guide you through the process.
Children and Parenting Advice
When parents disagree about where a child should live or when contact should take place, even ordinary decisions about school and weekends can become difficult. You may be concerned about losing time with your child, responding to an allegation or making an existing arrangement work. Our children law solicitors help you understand the legal options and develop proposals around your child's needs, safety and daily life. We take time to understand the current care arrangements before advising on a change.
We can negotiate a parenting plan, advise alongside mediation or prepare a court application when an agreement cannot be reached. Our legal team also assists with safeguarding concerns, Cafcass involvement and orders that are being ignored. We explain the evidence needed, the possible outcomes and the costs at each stage, helping you make informed decisions without drawing your child further into the dispute.
A child arrangements order can state with whom a child is to live, spend time or otherwise have contact. It may set out overnight stays, handovers, telephone or video contact, school holidays, birthdays and travel. The order can be detailed where communication is difficult or more flexible where the adults can cooperate.
The law does not give either parent an automatic right to equal time. The child's welfare is the court's paramount consideration. Relevant factors include the child's wishes and feelings in light of age and understanding, physical and emotional needs, the effect of change, any harm suffered or risk of harm, and each adult's ability to meet the child's needs.
Most applications are made on Form C100. Cafcass normally carries out initial safeguarding checks and may speak with both parties before the first hearing. The court identifies the issues, considers safety and decides what further evidence or assessment is required. Some cases settle at the first hearing; others require statements, a Cafcass report, a fact-finding hearing or a final hearing.
Allegations of domestic abuse must be addressed carefully because they may affect contact, handovers and the safety of the child or a parent. Our team can help present relevant evidence without allowing the proceedings to become a general history of the adult relationship. Protection advice is also available through our domestic abuse service.
A good proposal needs more than a preferred number of nights. A solicitor can test how it works around school, travel, work patterns, medical needs, siblings and holidays, and can distinguish a genuine safeguarding concern from ordinary parental disagreement. We prepare focused proposals, evidence and court documents, and represents clients at hearings where required.
A case can be weakened by ignoring existing orders, stopping contact without a defensible welfare reason, sending hostile messages, involving the child in the dispute, or making serious allegations without explaining the supporting evidence. Missing a MIAM requirement or claiming an exemption that does not apply can also delay an application.
Court orders can become unworkable when they are too vague or fail to anticipate handovers, holidays and communication. We seek terms that are clear enough to reduce repeated disputes while leaving appropriate flexibility for the child as circumstances change.
At 15 September 2026, the court fee for a new Children Act application, including a child arrangements order, is £270. Further fees can arise for enforcement or applications made during proceedings. Mediation, expert assessments and barrister fees may also be relevant, although many cases do not need every type of expense.
Our legal fees depend on the stage and complexity of the matter. We can agree a defined piece of work, such as initial advice or preparation of an application, or provide continuing representation. You will receive a clear costs estimate and an explanation of likely third-party charges.
Child Arrangements FAQs
Practical answers about shared care, mediation, Cafcass, urgent applications and changing or enforcing an order.
There is no automatic entitlement to a 50/50 division. The court considers the child's welfare and how arrangements work around school, travel, care and safety. We help prepare a proposal explaining the child's needs and the benefits of the arrangement sought, rather than relying only on a preferred number of nights.
A safety concern needs prompt assessment, particularly if an order is already in force. Record the facts and seek advice on protective steps, supervised contact or an urgent application. Do not assume either that all contact must continue unchanged or that an order can be ignored indefinitely. Immediate danger should be reported to the police.
A MIAM is normally required before a C100 application unless a valid exemption applies. It is an assessment meeting, not a requirement to reach an agreement. Domestic abuse, urgency and certain safeguarding circumstances can justify exemption. We check the applicable basis and supporting evidence before the application is submitted.
Cafcass normally considers safeguarding information and the issues affecting the child, including existing care, disputed proposals and any alleged harm. Its role is to advise the court about welfare. We help you prepare a factual account and identify relevant records, without rehearsing answers or drawing the child into the adults' dispute.
A child's wishes and feelings are considered in light of age and understanding, alongside the other welfare factors. They do not decide the case alone. The court may obtain the child's views through Cafcass or another appropriate process. Avoid asking a child to choose a parent or prepare evidence for you.
Keep the order and a factual record of missed contact, explanations and attempts to resolve the problem. Enforcement or variation may be appropriate, depending on the reason and the child's circumstances. We assess the precise wording before advising. Enforcement is not automatic, and a reasonable excuse or safeguarding concern must be considered.
Yes, the court can vary an order where the child's circumstances justify a change. School, health, travel and changing routines may be relevant. Agreement can sometimes resolve the issue, but you should clarify the legal position before relying on an informal departure from the order, particularly if communication is unreliable.
Bring existing orders, a short chronology, current care arrangements and any relevant messages or school, medical or police information that you lawfully hold. Explain the outcome you are seeking and any approaching deadline. A focused selection is more useful than a large bundle of unrelated arguments about the former relationship.
The fee for a new Children Act application is £270 at September 2026 rates. Legal fees depend on preparation, safeguarding issues and hearings; mediation, barrister or expert costs may be separate. We explain the likely stages and can discuss a defined piece of work where that suits the case.
Yes. Many parents make a parenting plan covering living arrangements, contact, holidays and communication. Legal advice can help make the terms clear and identify safety or practical problems. A private plan does not have the same enforceability as a court order, so we explain when formalising arrangements may be useful.
Bring any existing order and a short account of current care arrangements. We can review the proposal, safeguarding concerns and any deadline before explaining the options.
Arrange a telephone call or visit our Cheltenham office by appointment. We assist clients in Cheltenham and the surrounding Gloucestershire area. We will explain the scope of work and legal fees before proceeding.
Call 0330 900 0377, email info@pembridgesolicitors.co.uk or request a consultation.
Pembridge Solicitors
Calderwood House, Montpellier Parade
Cheltenham GL50 1UA
Office visits by appointment.