At First Law Solicitors, we guide parents through one of the most sensitive stages of separation: defining where children live, how much time they spend with each parent, and how major decisions affecting their lives are made. Our focus is clear. We protect your relationship with your children while ensuring that every arrangement is fair, enforceable, and firmly centred on their welfare.
Based in Manchester and advising clients across England and Wales, we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA ID No: 665823). Each case is led by a solicitor with more than twenty years of post-qualification experience in child law, residence disputes, and cross-border parenting matters.
A Child Arrangement Order is a legally binding order issued by the Family Court under section 8 of the Children Act 1989. It determines where a child will live, when and how they will spend time with the other parent, and how parental responsibility is exercised in relation to key decisions such as schooling, medical treatment, religion, and travel.
The purpose of a Child Arrangement Order is to provide stability, routine, and legal certainty for the child. It is not intended to create a “winner” or “loser” between parents, but to establish arrangements that best support the child’s welfare.
Every Child Arrangement Order is decided by applying the Welfare Checklist set out in section 1(3) of the Children Act 1989. The court considers the child’s wishes and feelings in light of their age and maturity, their physical, emotional, and educational needs, the likely effect of any change in circumstances, and the capability of each parent to meet those needs.
Following the Domestic Abuse Act 2024, the court must also ensure that no child arrangement exposes a child or parent to harm through coercive or controlling behaviour. Safeguarding considerations now form an integral part of every child arrangements decision.
Before a court application can usually be made, parents are required to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting. We advise and represent clients at this stage, ensuring that mediation remains focused on practical, child-centred outcomes rather than escalating conflict.
If agreement is not possible, we prepare and file the C100 application through the HMCTS digital portal. Under the Family Procedure Rules 2025, applications are digitally authenticated using Qualified Electronic Signatures, allowing for immediate filing and acknowledgment.
CAFCASS then carries out safeguarding checks, including police and local authority enquiries, and prepares an initial safeguarding letter for the court ahead of the first hearing.
The First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment is designed to explore whether agreement can be reached with judicial guidance. If resolution is not possible at this stage, the court gives directions for further evidence, written statements, or expert reports as required.
If the matter proceeds to a final hearing, a judge or magistrates will determine residence, contact, and decision-making arrangements strictly by reference to the child’s best interests.
By 2026, courts and professionals increasingly expect parents to resolve child arrangements through Non-Court Dispute Resolution wherever possible. For this reason, we prioritise private dispute resolution options that reduce delay, cost, and emotional strain.
These include Private Family Dispute Resolution, where a neutral judge or senior barrister assists the parties in reaching agreement privately, often within weeks. We also advise on collaborative parenting agreements, which involve tailored parenting plans that can be approved by the court without contested proceedings. Arbitration is another option, allowing a confidential and binding determination by an independent arbitrator with the same legal authority as a judge.
This modern approach promotes faster outcomes, lower conflict, and a stronger foundation for cooperative co-parenting.
We regularly act in complex child law matters involving allegations of parental alienation or coercive control, relocation disputes within the UK or abroad, disagreements over cultural or religious upbringing, and enforcement of existing Child Arrangement Orders.
In such cases, we combine robust legal strategy with emotional intelligence, ensuring that every application meets both evidential standards and the welfare threshold required by the court.
Where a Child Arrangement Order is breached, we act swiftly to secure compliance. Under Part 18 of the Family Procedure Rules 2025, the court may impose enforcement orders requiring unpaid work or financial penalties, compensation orders for lost contact time, or committal orders in cases of persistent and deliberate non-compliance.
Where circumstances change, such as relocation, changes in schooling, or the formation of new family relationships, we apply for variation of the existing order to ensure that arrangements remain workable and continue to serve the child’s best interests.
For families with international connections, we act in relocation, jurisdictional disputes, and child abduction cases under the Hague Convention 1980. We obtain Prohibited Steps Orders to prevent wrongful removal and work closely with overseas counsel to enforce return orders through mirror proceedings in foreign jurisdictions.
Our cross-border expertise ensures that children remain protected and stable regardless of where they live or travel.
We integrate fully with the CAFCASS digital system and the MyHMCTS e-Court platform, enabling secure and efficient submission of evidence, safeguarding materials, and welfare reports. All documentation is protected through encryption and data handling protocols compliant with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
We also use Predictive Case Modelling to assess likely judicial outcomes based on comparable case data. This allows parents to make informed, realistic decisions and reduces unnecessary litigation.
At First Law Solicitors, we are not only advocates but strategic partners in protecting your children’s future. We prioritise safeguarding and stability, maintain procedural and evidential precision at every stage, and design child arrangements that endure well beyond the conclusion of proceedings.
Our philosophy is straightforward: law delivered with empathy, and strategy guided by care.
If you need to establish, vary, or enforce arrangements for your children, contact First Law Solicitors today. Our solicitors provide clear, compassionate, and decisive legal support to protect what matters most: your family.
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