Court and records · 18 September 2026 · 9 min read
Child arrangement orders in the UK, explained
“Child arrangement order” is one of the first things a separating parent in England or Wales searches for, usually at the point where a conversation has stopped working. This is what the order actually is, what applying involves, what the court weighs up, and — the part almost nobody writes about — how to live with the schedule once it exists.
General information for separated parents, not legal advice. For your own situation speak to a family mediator or a family solicitor.
What the order decides
A child arrangement order is made by the family court under the Children Act 1989. It sets out who a child lives with, who they spend time with, and when that happens. Since 2014 it has replaced the older language of “residence” and “contact”, deliberately, because those words encouraged parents to think in terms of winning custody rather than arranging a child’s week.
It is not the same as parental responsibility, which is about who has a say in big decisions such as schooling and medical treatment, and it does not deal with child maintenance. It also does not, on its own, decide holidays in most cases — orders frequently leave school breaks to be arranged between the parents, which is exactly where families end up back in dispute.
How to apply, step by step
1. Try to agree first
Write down the pattern, handover times and places, holidays and who books what. A schedule you both agreed and both read is quicker, cheaper and less corrosive than one imposed after nine months of hearings. Many parents who eventually apply wish they had spent that energy on a written parenting plan instead.
2. Attend a MIAM
A Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting is a short meeting with an accredited mediator about whether mediation could work for you. In most cases you must attend before applying, and the mediator signs the form. Exemptions exist, including domestic abuse and urgent risk to a child.
3. Apply on form C100
The application goes to the family court with the court fee, and the MIAM section either completed or an exemption claimed. Help with fees is available on low income. You can apply as a litigant in person, though contested cases usually benefit from advice.
4. Safeguarding checks and the first hearing
Cafcass carries out background checks and speaks to both parents by phone before the first hearing, the First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment. Many cases settle there, with the agreement recorded as an order.
5. Reports, further hearings, or agreement
Where matters stay disputed the court may order a welfare report, or a fact-finding hearing where allegations need resolving. This is the stage that lengthens cases considerably.
6. The order, and life afterwards
The order sets out who the child lives with, who they spend time with, and when. It typically lasts until the child is 16. From then on your job is not legal — it is running the schedule without argument, week after week.
Court fees, help with fees and forms change from time to time. Check the current figures on GOV.UK or with a solicitor before you apply.
What the court is actually looking at
The child’s welfare is the paramount consideration — not fairness between the adults. The court works through the welfare checklist: the child’s wishes and feelings given their age and understanding, their physical, emotional and educational needs, the likely effect of any change, their age, sex and background, any harm they have suffered or are at risk of suffering, and how capable each parent is of meeting their needs. Courts also start from the position that a child usually benefits from the involvement of both parents, unless that would put the child at risk.
One practical consequence: a parent who can show a calm, workable, well-organised routine is on stronger ground than one arriving with a folder of the other parent’s worst messages. Reliability reads better than grievance.
Living with the order
Put the order into a calendar, once
'Alternate weekends plus Wednesday overnight' is a sentence, not a plan. Turn it into actual dated nights that both households can see, so nobody has to interpret the wording in the school car park.
Make changes requests, not announcements
An order can be varied by agreement in practice, and most families do flex it occasionally. Ask for the specific dates, and let the change happen only when the other household agrees — so a kindness never becomes evidence of a new normal.
Keep the record factual
'Collected 18:40, order says 18:00' is useful. Four paragraphs of grievance is not. If enforcement ever becomes necessary, courts look at patterns set out plainly.
Decide holidays early
Most orders leave school holidays to be arranged between you. Splitting the whole year in one sitting, in the spring, prevents the August argument entirely.
Keep the children out of it
Children should never be told about the order in terms of who won. They need to know where they are sleeping and who is collecting them, and nothing else.
Where Co-Parenting Harmony fits
We are not a court tool and we will never claim to be. What we do is the part that comes after the order — turning the wording into a week both homes can see.
- The pattern as dated nights. Alternate weekends, midweek overnights, term-time and holiday variations, all visible to both households.
- Proposals, not surprises. A change to shared time is requested with specific dates and only moves when the other home agrees.
- Privacy by default. Anything you mark private shows to the other household as “Busy” only — no title, no location.
- An everyday record. The family log is for ordinary coordination. It is not certified, tamper-proof or evidence, and we will not pretend otherwise.
Common questions
What is a child arrangement order?
It is an order made by the family court in England and Wales that sets out who a child lives with, who they spend time with, and when. It replaced the older terms 'residence order' and 'contact order' in 2014. The order is legally binding on both parents.
Do we need to go to court to agree a schedule?
No. Most separated parents never apply. An arrangement you both agree, written down clearly, has no less practical effect day to day. Court is for where agreement is not possible, or where there are safeguarding concerns.
Do I have to try mediation first?
In most cases you must attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (a MIAM) before applying, and the mediator signs your application form to confirm it. There are exemptions, including domestic abuse and urgent risk to a child.
How do I apply?
You apply on form C100 to the family court, with the court fee, and the MIAM section completed or an exemption claimed. You can apply yourself without a solicitor, though advice is worth having if the case is contested.
How long does it take?
It varies widely by court and by how contested the case is. Straightforward agreed cases can conclude in a few months; contested cases involving Cafcass reports or fact-finding hearings frequently run far longer. Do not plan your year around a fast outcome.
What does the court take into account?
The child's welfare is the paramount consideration, assessed through the welfare checklist in the Children Act 1989 — the child's wishes and feelings given their age and understanding, their physical, emotional and educational needs, the likely effect of change, any risk of harm, and how capable each parent is of meeting their needs.
How long does an order last?
Usually until the child turns 16, unless the court says otherwise. Either parent can apply to vary it if circumstances change substantially.
What happens if the other parent breaks the order?
The court can enforce it, and has powers ranging from varying the order to unpaid work or, rarely, a fine. Enforcement applications look at the pattern rather than one missed evening, so keeping a calm, factual record of what actually happened matters more than screenshots of an argument.
Is this legal advice?
No. This is general information for separated parents in the UK. For advice on your own situation speak to a family mediator or a family solicitor. Co-Parenting Harmony is a shared calendar, not a court or evidence product.
General information for separated parents in England and Wales, not legal advice.
Keep reading
- Parenting plan template (UK) — write the arrangement down before anyone applies.
- How to plan a custody schedule in the UK — choosing a pattern that survives a school term.
- Records, evidence and family court — what your own notes can and cannot do.
- For mediators and family services — organisations that help parents reach agreement.
Turn the wording into a week that works
One shared calendar for custody nights, handovers, school dates and shared costs, with private entries only ever showing as “Busy”. 14-day free trial, no card needed.