You do not have to go to court when deciding the arrangements for your children – you do not even need to get a legally recognised agreement in place if you have agreed things amicably, between yourselves.
However, it can be helpful to get your agreement written down in case things change between you and your former partner in the future. You might decide also to get your agreement approved by the court in a child arrangements order, so it becomes legally binding.
Even if you can’t agree between yourselves, you may be able to reach an agreement about child arrangements using an out of court process such as mediation. This involves using an impartial third party (a mediator) to help you and your former partner discuss the issues between you, and help you negotiate.
The court will usually expect that you’ll have tried to negotiate between yourselves (and to have considered a process such as mediation) before it will hear your case. If you can’t settle your dispute out of court, then you will have to go through the court process where a judge will decide your case for you.
Our specialist lawyers are experienced in child arrangements and can provide expert advice and support throughout the process. For a consultation about your case, call us on 0345 604 4911 or contact us online and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
