Child Arrangement Order Solicitors
Helping Your Children Feel Safe & Secure After Your Separation
When you separate, one of the hardest questions is how life will work for your children. Where will they live? How will they spend time with each parent? What happens at weekends, during school holidays and on special occasions?
These concerns can feel more difficult if communication has broken down, arrangements are being controlled by one parent or you’re worried about contact being reduced or stopped. You may also need to make decisions on schooling, relocation or medical care. “Child custody” is commonly used to describe these issues, but in England and Wales, they are known as child arrangements, which can be set out in a child arrangements order.
At Hilton Spence, our child arrangement order solicitors provide discreet, partner-led advice to help you understand your position and move towards arrangements that give your children stability.
Child Arrangements After Separation
We provide calm, measured advice on living arrangements, shared time and parental responsibility when emotions are running high. We can help you to ensure arrangements in your children's best interests are clearly recorded. Our experienced child arrangement order solicitors will guide you through a C100 application and the family court process.
Child Arrangements & Professional Advice
Living Arrangements
We advise on where your children will live and how they will spend time with each parent after divorce. This includes weekdays, weekends, holidays and special occasions, as well as communication and handovers. Arrangements should reflect your children’s needs, routine and relationships to give them stability.
Schooling & Education
Schooling decisions can shape how co-parenting works day to day. We help resolve disagreements about school choice, fees, routines and additional support. Where parents share parental responsibility, important decisions should be discussed. If an agreement can’t be reached, the court may be asked to decide or prevent a proposed change.
Relocation With Children
A move can change how often your children see each parent and how their daily routine works. We advise parents who want to move within England and Wales or abroad, as well as those who have concerns about a proposed move. We help you work through schooling, travel, contact and the practical effects on your children. Our family law solicitors can also explain whether you may need to apply to the court.
Grandparents & Wider Family Relationships
Grandparents can apply for a child arrangements order to spend time with their grandchildren, although they will usually need the court’s permission before making the full application. The court will consider the existing relationship, the reasons for the application and if contact would support the children’s welfare.
Disagreements About a Child's Upbringing
Disputes can arise over specific decisions even where general arrangements are agreed. We advise on issues like schooling, medical treatment, religion and travel. A specific issue order can ask the court to decide a question, while a prohibited steps order can prevent certain actions. The C100 form is used to apply for these orders.
Safeguarding & Contact Concerns
Concerns about safety can make contact arrangements particularly difficult. We advise where there are issues such as domestic abuse, substance misuse or a risk of harm. We help you understand the options available, including supported contact or urgent court applications, and make sure concerns are clearly presented to protect your children’s wellbeing. This may sit alongside other protective measures like non-molestation orders or occupation orders.
Parental Responsibility
Parental responsibility relates to the legal rights and duties involved in making important decisions about their children’s lives. This includes education, medical care, religion and travel. It is separate from the amount of time a parent spends with their children. We can advise whether you have parental responsibility and assist with agreements or court applications where needed.
Financial Provision for Children
A child’s financial needs may extend beyond standard maintenance. We advise on additional financial provisions like housing, school fees, childcare and other significant costs. This is particularly relevant in higher-income or complex financial situations. Our advice forms part of the wider arrangements following separation or divorce.
Child Maintenance
Child maintenance helps cover the regular costs of raising children. Parents may agree on payments between themselves or use the Child Maintenance Service. Where income comes from bonuses, dividends, a business or several different sources, the position may need a closer look. We can explain how child maintenance fits alongside the wider financial arrangements after separation.
Clear Child Arrangement Advice for Your Family’s Next Steps
Child arrangements need to work in everyday family life, not simply look reasonable on paper.
We help you consider the full picture, including school routines, working patterns, travel, holidays, communication and your child’s changing needs.
Our aim is to help you put clear arrangements in place while reducing unnecessary conflict between parents.
Your Child Arrangement Order Solicitors in Wirral & Liverpool
Hilton Spence Family Law advises parents across Wirral, Liverpool and the surrounding areas on child arrangements, financial provision for children and child maintenance along with disputes about your children’s upbringing.
You may be at the start of a separation and unsure how to approach the conversation. You may already have an informal routine that is no longer working. You may be dealing with stopped contact, safeguarding worries or a proposed relocation.
Whatever stage you have reached, we provide personal advice shaped around your children, your family and the concerns that matter to you.
Our approach is calm, discreet and proactive. We look for a constructive route wherever possible while remaining ready to take firm action when your children, or relationship with them, needs protection.
About Us
Hilton Spence Family Law is a boutique family law firm focused on complex and sensitive family matters.
The firm was founded by Laura Spence to provide the legal knowledge of a specialist family practice alongside a more personal and considered client experience.
You will receive partner-led advice, clear communication and support that reflects the importance of the decisions being made for your child.
When Parents Can't Agree on Child Arrangements & Shared Custody
Disagreements about where your children live, how they spend time with each parent or how important decisions should be made can become difficult to resolve without support. This doesn’t always mean that court proceedings are needed. Our family lawyers will help you understand the options available and identify the most constructive way forward.
Resolving Child Arrangement Disputes Without Court
Where it is safe and sensible to do so, we help parents reach an agreement through discussions between solicitors or family mediation. This gives both sides the chance to raise their concerns and find arrangements that work for their children without going to court.
Once an agreement is reached, a written parenting plan can set out the practical details, including:
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Where your children will live
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How time will be shared
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Weekends and overnight stays
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School holidays and special occasions
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Handovers and communication
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How important decisions will be made
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How future changes will be discussed
The Cafcass parenting plan, now called Our Child’s Plan, is one way of recording a co-parenting agreement. A parenting plan is not a court order, but it can give both parents a clearer understanding of what has been agreed and help reduce future misunderstandings.
Where agreement is not possible, or there are concerns about your children’s safety, we can advise on making a C100 application to the family court.
The Child Arrangements Court Process
The exact course of a case will depend on the issues between the parents, the safeguarding position and whether any agreement can be reached along the way.
Preparing the Application
We start by understanding your child’s current routine, the arrangements you would like, and the reasons an agreement has not been possible.
We then help prepare the C100 application, explain the relevant private family law process and organise any supporting information needed.
The First Hearing
The first hearing gives the court an early understanding of the disagreement and any safety concerns.
The court will consider whether some or all of the issues can be resolved. If they can’t, it may give directions about what should happen next. This might include written statements, further safeguarding work or an assessment by Cafcass.
You will receive advice before the hearing about what to expect, the points that need to be raised and any proposals that may help move matters forward.
Cafcass Involvement
Cafcass advises the family court about children’s welfare and what may be in their best interests.
Before the first hearing, Cafcass will usually carry out initial safeguarding checks. A Cafcass officer may speak to each parent and provide the court with information about any identified concerns.
In some cases, the court may ask Cafcass to carry out further work and prepare a report. This may include speaking with the parents, considering the child’s wishes and feelings in an age-appropriate way and making recommendations about future arrangements.
We help you understand the role of Cafcass, prepare for conversations and respond carefully to any recommendations made.
Reaching an Interim Arrangement
Court proceedings can take time, and your child may need a workable routine while the case continues.
The court may make an interim order covering matters like where your child stays, how handovers work, phone or video contact and any steps needed to manage safety concerns.
An interim arrangement is temporary. It doesn’t necessarily indicate what the final outcome will be. We help make sure any proposal is practical and takes account of your child’s routine, rather than creating further uncertainty between hearings.
Further Hearings & Final Order
If the parents are still unable to agree, the court may need further evidence before making its final decision.
The judge will consider the information filed by each parent, any Cafcass assessment and the needs and welfare of the child.
The final child arrangements order will set out the arrangements both parents are expected to follow. This may cover where the child lives, time with each parent, indirect contact, holidays and any conditions needed to protect the child.
We will guide you through the preparation, evidence and hearings while keeping the focus on the outcome you’re seeking for your child.
Laura provided some calming reassurance when I was at a really difficult point. Her professionalism and clear focus enabled us to reach an amicable solution which at one point seemed unthinkable.
Client
Why Choose Hilton Spence Family Law?
Your case will receive close attention from an experienced family lawyer who understands the personal impact of child custody matters. You will receive clear legal advice on your options, next steps and how decisions may affect your children and wider family relationships. We take a calm, proactive approach, supporting constructive discussions where possible and guiding you through stronger action where needed.
We also advise on more complex family circumstances, including arrangements involving demanding careers, multiple properties, international travel, private education or business interests. Sensitive concerns such as safeguarding issues, controlling behaviour or stopped contact are handled carefully, with your children’s wellbeing at the centre. Whether you need early advice, negotiation support, a C100 application or court representation, we can assist at every stage. You can meet with us in confidence at our Heswall or Liverpool offices.
FAQs About Child Custody Laws & Child Arrangement Orders
Child custody in England and Wales refers to where a child lives and how their time is shared after parents separate.
The legal term used by the courts is “child arrangements”. If parents can’t agree, the court may make a child arrangements order setting out who the child lives with, who they spend time with and when that time takes place.
If both parents agree and the arrangements work consistently, you can rely on an informal agreement, use the mediation process to reach a shared understanding, or record the details in a parenting plan.
A court order may be appropriate if there is ongoing disagreement, contact is being stopped, arrangements are unstable, or there are concerns about child protection.
To formalise arrangements for children after divorce, you can record what has been agreed in a written parenting plan.
This plan can include where your child lives, how time is shared, holiday arrangements, communication and how decisions will be made.
A parenting plan is not legally binding. If you need enforceable arrangements, you may need to apply for a child arrangements order or ask the court to approve agreed terms.
A C100 application is the form used to ask the family court to make or change an order relating to a child. It can be used to apply for a child arrangements order, a prohibited steps order or a specific issue order. This may include decisions about where a child lives, contact, schooling, relocation or changing a child’s name.
A family lawyer can help you decide whether you need to apply to the court and make sure the application clearly explains the new arrangements.
A Cafcass parenting plan, now called Our Child’s Plan, is a written agreement to help separated parents organise practical arrangements for their child. It can cover living arrangements, communication, childcare responsibilities and other aspects of co-parenting.
Although it is not legally binding, it can provide structure and reduce uncertainty where parents are able to cooperate.
There is no fixed rule for how often separated parents should arrange visits or contact with their children.
The right arrangement depends on the child’s age, routine, needs, wishes, school commitments and relationship with each parent. Practical factors such as distance and availability also play a role.
Some children benefit from frequent shorter visits, while others prefer longer periods of time. Arrangements may need to change as the child grows.
Shared custody doesn’t necessarily mean equal time with each parent. Shared care arrangements can vary, and the focus should be on what works best for the child’s needs, routine and wellbeing.
While equal time may suit some families, it is not the default and should only be used where it is practical and beneficial for the child.
Shared custody is also sometimes called joint custody, although neither expression is the main legal term used by the family court.
One parent can stop the other parent from seeing their child if they believe there is an immediate risk, but this should be approached carefully and with proper justification.
If contact is stopped without agreement, the other parent may need to get help through solicitors, mediation or a C100 application.
Where a child arrangement order is already in place, both parents are expected to follow it unless the court changes it. Urgent advice may be needed if there are safety concerns or repeated breaches.
You can object if the other parent wants to relocate with your child, particularly if you believe the move is not in the child’s best interests.
The options available will depend on whether the move is within England and Wales or abroad, how soon it is planned and if a court order already exists.
You may be able to apply for a prohibited steps order to prevent the move while the court considers the issue. The other parent may apply for permission to relocate.
A child arrangement order doesn’t usually decide which school a child attends, as it mainly deals with where the child lives and who they spend time with.
If parents disagree on schooling, a specific issue order may be needed for the court to decide the matter. A prohibited steps order can also be used to prevent a change of school until the issue is resolved.
A parental responsibility order gives someone legal parental responsibility for a child.
This means they can take part in important decisions about the child’s upbringing, including education, medical care, religion and travel.
Whether you need to apply for this order depends on your relationship to the child, how the birth was registered and if parental responsibility can be agreed without going to court.
Grandparents can apply for contact with a child, but they usually need the court’s permission before making a full application.
The court will consider the grandparent’s relationship with the child, the nature of the application, and if it could disrupt the child’s life.
Before applying, it may be possible to explore contact through discussions with the parents, solicitor support or mediation.
A contact order was the previous term for an order setting out when a child spent time with someone they did not live with. The court now uses child arrangements orders, which can cover both where a child lives and who they spend time with.
Speak to Our Child Arrangement Order Solicitors
If you need advice about where your children will live, how time should be shared or a disagreement about their upbringing, request a private consultation with our child arrangement order solicitors in Wirral or Liverpool.
We will listen carefully to what is happening, explain your position and help you decide on the next step for your children and family.