Child ARRANGEMENT Orders
After a relationship breakdown, arranging who has the children and how often the other party can see them can be difficult. As well as the high emotions involved, there are a wide range of legal arguments that must be considered. HRS Family Law Solicitors are experts in this field. We are in court day in, day out, fighting for what’s right for you. Book a first free appointment today and we can help you organise child arrangement orders, custody, access, residence or contact with your children.
Children’s Cases
The Children Act sets out the law, in the main, concerning care of and responsibility for children. What used to be known as custody and access, then residence and contact, are now known as child arrangement orders. Navigating this area of law on your own can be incredibly complex. We can help you.
At HRS we are specialists in this area of law. All of our fee earners have a wealth of experience in acting for and representing clients in the Family Courts. They do it literally every day.
Whether we are acting for absent fathers or concerned mothers, grandparents or siblings, we have the experience to make a difference to the outcome in ways that are not immediately apparent to those less well versed in this field of family law.
Because we have the know how we also have the contacts and experience to access ancillary support and strategies that can make a real difference to the amount of time or the circumstances in which our clients see and care for their children.
We often do this on a fixed fee basis for example to include all preparatory work and representation to a specific hearing.
How we can help…
We can help you negotiate with the other parent
We will help with mediation and negotiation in an endeavour to help you and a former partner sort things out. We can then draw up an agreement by consent and thereby avoid the unpleasantness of Court proceedings. Ask at the first free interview about special guardianship, fact finding hearings and contact agreements.
We can help you go to court if needs must
Sometimes, mediation does not work. In such cases, it is necessary, indeed essential, to obtain a Court Order that sets out how responsibility for and access to children will work. This can include special occasions such as Christmas and Birthdays. Our team appear in the Family Courts more often than any other. We can help represent you in court and draw up all paperwork.
We can help you enforce an order
Sometimes, even after an order has been granted, the opposition don’t want to comply. In these cases we will help with cases of intransigent former partners, enforcement of Court orders and appeals where advised.
We can help you get maintenance
We can help you get maintenance if you have custody of the children. Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 can offer financial assistance in some cases with the cost of raising children. Ask about it at your free first interview.
We offer legal aid, fixed fees and payment plans
Legal aid is still availble for some child cases. We will test your eligibiloty at your first free interview. If you aren’t eligible we still offer fixed fee packages and payment plans to help you manage costs and spread them over a suitable period of time.
Why choose HRS Family Law Solicitors
1. No legalese or jargon – Just straightforward advice focused on achieving your goal. At HRS we understand that you are the client and our role is to give you advice and assistance. It is not for us to tell you what to do.
2. Experts in our field – HRS Family Law have helped tens of thousands of people make child arrangements, get custody of their children and enforce maintenance orders. We are well respected in our field. Our senior Solicitors are all members of Family panels and are skilled in using child arrangement law to negotiate and enforce the best outcome for you and your children.
3. We are on your side – HRS Family Law Lawyers work for you and your family. We work hard to make organising child arrangements as seamless and fuss free as possible. Tell us what you want to achieve and we will negotiate hard and deploy the best legal arguments to achieve it.
Case Studies
Grant’s Story: Seeing his kids again
Grant's Story: Seeing his kids again & fighting false allegationsGrant worked as an...
Katie’s Story: Using the courts to protect her children
Katie's Story: Using the courts to protect her kidsKatie and Rich had been together since they met...
Margaret’s Story: Adopting her grandchildren to stop them going into care
Margaret's Story: Adopting her grandchildren to stop them going into careMargaret’s daughter Sarah...
Children’s Cases Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get Legal Aid for a Child Arrangements Order?
Yes, but they are very strict on who can access it these days. You normally only qualify if you have been the subject of domestic violence and can satisfy the Lergal aid Agency evidence test for proving it. They are very strict on what qualifies as proof. Regardless of whether you think you can get Legal Aid or not book a first free appointment with us today and we can guide you in the right direction.
My ex-partner has stopped me seeing my children, are they allowed to do that?
Without a Court Order, your ex-partner can stop you from seeing your children whether you have parental responsibility or not. But we can help you. To ensure you have regular and consistent contact, a Court Order is advised and an application ought to be made sooner rather than later unless agreement can be reached quickly. The status quo is important in such cases so do not delay. Contact us today for a first free appointment.
My ex-partner has stopped me from having contact with my child. What is the legal process for me to regain contact with my child?
The first thing to do is write and ask. Set out clearly what you want and why it is best for the children? Then if they will not negotiate you will need to go to mediation. After that, apply to the Court for a section 8 order. We are experts in this area of law and do all these steps every day, for hundreds of clients. Book a first free appointment with us and an expert family lawyer can advise you what the best action is for your case.
How many hearings would a Child Arrangements Order take?
This is dependent on the complexity of the case, usually however, it would consist of three hearings: the FHDRA, the DRA and possibly a contested final hearing. On occasion, however, a Finding of Fact hearing is also required. If the matter is complex there may be a number of additional “directions” hearings. If you ant some guidance on hearings book a first free appointment today.
I am having trouble with my former partner about contact with my child. Please help.
Keep a diary. Keep records of messages, text, email, whats app etc. Ask for contact that you have agreed, or think is best for the child. If you have no success then consult a Solicitor. We will help you write a letter setting out the agreement and ask the ex-partner to sign a copy. Book your first free appointment today and we can talk through options.
Do you offer a fixed fee?
Yes. A fixed fee is available for all our areas of work as long as an agreement can be made between the parties without the need for the matter to be heard in Court. Should we need to issue proceedings then the fee will revert an hourly rate or what is known as a staged fixed fee, i.e £500 per Court hearing or other marker. A trained solicitor can explain what fee will apply to your case at the first free appointment.
Can I pay fixed fees or by instalments or spread my costs?
Yes. We have a number of payment schemes, including monthly Direct debit based on an agreed estimate.
Can I resolve the matter without going to Court ?
We always try to achieve this outcome for our clients but it isn’t always possible. Litigation is by definition about two sides. If the other party is reasonable then matters can often be concluded by negotiation. If people are unreasonable, it may be more difficult.
What languages do your lawyers speak?
We have Solicitors who can speak Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Meerpuri, amongst others and if we cannot help directly we have associates and interpreters available. So whatever language you speak we can help.
How often do you return calls/emails to your clients?
At HRS we aim to get back to our clients the same day. Although this may be difficult during busy times, we do maintain weekly contact with our clients in order to keep them updated on the progress of their matter and support them through their case.
Do I really need a Solicitor?
Legal proceedings are stressful, confusing and can be overwhelming. In order to achieve the best possible outcome, it is extremely helpful to have a Solicitor who can explain the legal jargon, negotiate on your behalf and ensure that you are treated fairly. Our Solicitors have at least 6 years training and often the same or more in legal experience. They really are experts in family law.
Can you help with my immigration status?
Certainly. By securing a child arrangements order to spend time with a child for direct contact, it can help secure your immigration case and leave to remain in the UK too.
What others are saying about our children’s cases service?
We offer everyone a first free appointment
Making child arrangements is tough work. As well as the high emotions, there is complex paperwork, competing interests and the court system itself to figure out. We can help you. Our expert family lawyers have decades of experience negotiating child arrangements and representing mothers, fathers and grandparents in court. Book a first free appointment today to find out how we can help you.
