At First Law Solicitors, we provide discreet, high-level representation for parents seeking to relocate with their children, or opposing relocation, whether within the United Kingdom or abroad. Our role is both protective and strategic, ensuring that your child’s welfare remains central while safeguarding your parental rights under English law.
Based in Manchester and serving clients across England and Wales, we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA ID No: 665823). Every relocation case is personally led by a senior solicitor with more than twenty years of post-qualification experience in international and domestic child law.
A child relocation arises when one parent wishes to change a child’s primary residence. This may involve an internal relocation to another part of the United Kingdom, such as a move from Manchester to London or Scotland, or an international relocation to another country for work, family, or personal reasons.
Relocation applications are among the most complex areas of family law. They require the court to balance one parent’s freedom to move against the other parent’s right to maintain a meaningful relationship with their child, while treating the child’s welfare as the paramount consideration.
In cases of domestic or internal relocation within the United Kingdom, there is no automatic right to move a child if the other parent objects. Under section 8 of the Children Act 1989, the relocating parent must apply for a Specific Issue Order or seek to vary an existing Child Arrangements Order. In deciding the application, the court applies the Welfare Checklist, taking into account the child’s wishes and feelings, the likely effect of disrupting established contact arrangements, the child’s educational and emotional stability, and the practicality of the proposed living and contact arrangements.
Where international relocation is proposed, the court applies the same welfare principles but with increased scrutiny, following the guidance in Payne v Payne [2001] EWCA Civ 166 and subsequent appellate decisions. As of 2025, the Family Court requires a fully evidenced relocation plan addressing where the child will live and attend school abroad, how contact with the non-relocating parent will be maintained, healthcare, language and cultural considerations, and immigration or visa compliance in the destination country.
The relocation process typically begins with pre-application negotiation or mediation. We explore constructive solutions, such as revised shared care arrangements or staged relocation proposals, in line with the Family Procedure Rules 2025 requirement to consider Non-Court Dispute Resolution before issuing proceedings.
If agreement cannot be reached, we prepare and file the appropriate C100 or C1 application through the MyHMCTS digital platform, authenticated using Qualified Electronic Signatures for immediate submission. CAFCASS then undertakes safeguarding checks and prepares a welfare report addressing the impact of the proposed relocation and the adequacy of contact arrangements.
We prepare a comprehensive evidential bundle, including detailed relocation plans, educational information, and expert evidence where appropriate. The matter proceeds to a final hearing, where the judge determines the application by reference to the child’s best interests.
Where you are opposing a proposed relocation, early action is critical. We act swiftly to seek Prohibited Steps Orders preventing removal without consent and, in urgent cases, to obtain port alerts through the Tipstaff or the High Court. We carefully challenge poorly evidenced relocation proposals by exposing weaknesses in welfare planning, practical arrangements, and the impact on the child’s emotional stability and relationship with the non-relocating parent.
Our solicitors are experienced in dismantling applications that fail to meet the court’s evidential threshold or that underestimate the long-term consequences for the child.
If a child has already been removed from the United Kingdom without consent, we act immediately under the Hague Convention 1980 and the Child Abduction and Custody Act 1985. We apply for High Court orders to secure the child’s return, coordinate with overseas lawyers to enforce mirror orders, and work with the International Family Justice Office to expedite proceedings.
Throughout this process, we combine urgency with proportionality, ensuring that recovery efforts remain focused on the child’s welfare.
From 2025 onwards, relocation cases are managed through the CAFCASS digital system and the MyHMCTS platform. We integrate fully with these systems and use Predictive Case Modelling to analyse likely outcomes based on comparable relocation decisions across England and Wales.
This data-driven approach enables clients to negotiate and litigate from a position of informed realism rather than uncertainty. All digital information is handled in strict compliance with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 and the Digital Family Justice Protocol 2026.
We recognise that relocation cases represent major emotional transitions for both parents and children. Our approach extends beyond legal strategy to include collaboration with family therapists and child specialists where appropriate, ensuring that the child’s emotional wellbeing is protected throughout the process.
We work calmly and discreetly to support long-term stability, regardless of whether relocation is approved or refused, ensuring that the child feels secure and supported.
At First Law Solicitors, we provide more than representation; we offer strategic guardianship of your family’s future. We focus on immediate protection through injunctions and carefully structured relocation plans, precision through rigorous evidence preparation and digital compliance, and permanence through parenting frameworks designed to endure beyond the court order.
Our philosophy is clear: your family’s peace of mind is not negotiable.
If you are planning to relocate with your child or seeking to prevent an unauthorised move, contact First Law Solicitors today. Our solicitors provide swift, strategic, and compassionate advice tailored to your family’s needs.
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