C100 Form UK — How to Apply for a Child Arrangements Order
Step-by-step guide to the C100 application form, court fees, MIAM requirements, and what happens after you file for a child arrangements order in England.
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All articles about England Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide.
Cafcass Safeguarding Check and Child Impact Report Explained
What happens during a Cafcass safeguarding check in England, how the Child Impact Report shapes your case, and how to prepare for the officer's assessment.
Can a Child Choose Which Parent to Live With in the UK?
At what age can a child decide which parent to live with in England? How family courts weigh children's wishes and feelings under the Children Act 1989.
Changing a Child's Surname Without the Father's Consent in England
Rules for changing a child's last name after separation in England — when you need consent, when you can apply to court, and what the judge considers.
Child Benefit and Shared Custody in England
How Child Benefit works when parents share custody in England — the single-claimant rule, its effect on child maintenance calculations, and how to manage the handover.
Child Custody England — Laws and Process Explained
England doesn't use 'custody' anymore. Learn how child arrangements orders, parental responsibility, and the welfare checklist actually work under the Children Act 1989.
Child Focused Court Model UK — What Replaced SPIP and How It Works
The Child Focused Model is being rolled out across England and Wales, replacing SPIP in participating courts. Learn about Planning Together for Children, Our Child's Plan, and what the changes mean for your case.
Child Maintenance and Custody in the UK — How Overnight Stays Affect Support
How child maintenance works alongside custody in England. CMS shared care bands, overnight stay thresholds, the child benefit presumption, and the 50/50 care paradox.
Children Act 1989 Explained — What Parents in England Need to Know
A practical breakdown of the Children Act 1989 for separating parents in England. Parental responsibility, Section 8 orders, the welfare principle, and 2026 reforms.
Consent Order Cost UK — Family Court Fees 2026
How much does a consent order cost in England? Court fees, solicitor costs, and how to get a child arrangements consent order without spending thousands on legal representation.
Domestic Abuse and Child Custody in the UK — C1A, Non-Molestation Orders, and Coercive Control
How domestic abuse affects child arrangements in England. Form C1A, non-molestation orders, coercive control, fact-finding hearings, and how courts protect children.
Enforcement of Child Arrangements Orders in England
What to do when the other parent breaches a child arrangements order — enforcement applications, contempt powers, variation options, and practical steps under English law.
Fact Finding Hearing Family Court UK
What is a fact-finding hearing in UK family court? Learn how disputed allegations of domestic abuse are investigated, what a Scott Schedule is, and how findings affect child arrangements.
Family Court Fees UK — Child Arrangements Costs 2026
A breakdown of UK family court fees for child arrangements cases: C100 application, consent orders, enforcement, fee waivers via Form EX160, and total costs for self-represented parents.
FHDRA — First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment Explained
What happens at a First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment in family court? Learn what to expect, how to prepare, and what the judge decides at an FHDRA.
Grandparent Contact Order UK — How to Get Court-Ordered Access
Grandparents have no automatic right to see their grandchildren in England. Learn how to apply for a contact order, the permission requirement, and what the court considers.
Help With Court Fees — EX160 Form Guide for Family Court in England
How to apply for help with family court fees using Form EX160 — eligibility thresholds, qualifying benefits, savings limits, and step-by-step instructions for 2026.
Holiday Custody Schedule England — School Holidays and Special Occasions
How to split school holidays, Christmas, Easter, and summer between co-parents in England. Practical templates and what courts expect in a parenting plan.
Litigant in Person in Family Court UK — How to Represent Yourself
How to represent yourself in family court in England. Court bundles, Practice Direction 27A, Scott Schedules, and practical preparation for hearings without a solicitor.
Lives With Order UK — Child Arrangements Explained
What is a 'lives with' order in England? Learn how child arrangements orders work, the difference between lives with and spends time with orders, and what each means legally.
How to Make a Parenting Plan Legally Binding in the UK
A parenting plan in England isn't legally binding on its own. Learn how to convert your agreement into an enforceable consent order through the family court.
Do You Need Mediation Before Family Court in the UK?
Understand the mandatory MIAM requirement before family court in England, valid exemptions, the £500 mediation voucher scheme, and how to prepare for your session.
MIAM Cost UK — Family Mediation Fees Explained
How much does a MIAM cost in the UK? Learn about mediation fees, the £500 family mediation voucher scheme, MIAM exemptions, and when mediation is mandatory before court.
No-Fault Divorce and Child Arrangements in England
How England's no-fault divorce system under the DDSA 2020 interacts with child arrangements — the 20-week reflection period, C100 timing, and what parents need to know.
Parental Alienation UK — How Family Courts Handle It
How do UK family courts deal with parental alienation? Learn what counts as alienating behaviour, how Cafcass assesses it, and what the court can do about it.
Parental Responsibility UK — Who Has It and How to Get It
Parental responsibility determines who can make legal decisions for a child in England and Wales. Learn who has automatic PR, and how unmarried fathers and step-parents can acquire it.
Parenting Plan Template UK — How to Write One That Works
A practical guide to writing a UK parenting plan that covers schedules, holidays, and decision-making — with tips on making it legally binding through a consent order.
Prohibited Steps Order and Taking a Child Abroad Without Consent UK
How prohibited steps orders work in England, rules for taking children abroad under Section 13, emergency applications, and what to do if your ex threatens to remove your child.
Relocating With a Child After Separation in England
Legal rules for moving house with your child after separation in England — when you need consent, the Section 13 travel rules, and how courts decide relocation applications.
Shared Custody Schedules in the UK — 50/50, 2-2-3, and Alternating Weeks
Compare the main shared custody schedule patterns used in England — 50/50, 2-2-3, alternating weeks, and 2-2-5-5 — with age-appropriate guidance for each.
Specific Issue Order UK — When Parents Cannot Agree
A specific issue order resolves a single parenting dispute — school choice, medical treatment, travel, or religion. Learn when to apply and what the court considers.
Supervised Contact and Indirect Contact Orders in England
How supervised contact and indirect contact orders work in English family courts — when they're ordered, what they involve, and how parents can move toward unsupervised time.
What Does Cafcass Do in Family Court
Cafcass plays a central role in child arrangements cases. Learn what Cafcass does, how the safeguarding process works, and what to expect from a Child Impact Report.
Alternatives to the Free CAFCASS Parenting Plan Template in England
The CAFCASS 'Our Child's Plan' template is free but offers no guidance. Here are better alternatives for drafting a parenting plan in England.
Best Child Arrangements Guide for Self-Representing Parents in England
The best self-guided child arrangements resource for parents representing themselves in English family court — what to look for and how to prepare.
How to Draft a Parenting Plan Without a Solicitor in England
Step-by-step process for drafting a parenting plan in England without hiring a solicitor — from schedules to Consent Order conversion.
Parenting Plan Guide vs Co-Parenting App in England — Which Do You Need?
A parenting plan guide and a co-parenting app solve different problems. Here's when you need each one for child arrangements in England.
Child Arrangements Guide vs Family Solicitor in England — Which Saves More?
Comparing a self-guided parenting plan guide to hiring a family solicitor for child arrangements in England. Costs, control, and when each option makes sense.