Understanding the court process
Most parents would rather sort out arrangements for their children without involving the courts. But when agreement is not possible, making a court application may be the only way forward.
Before you apply, the court will usually expect you to have attended a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM). Exemptions exist for situations involving domestic abuse, child protection concerns, urgency, or where the other parent cannot be contacted. The full list of exemptions is set out in the C100 application form.
Family court applications for child arrangements begin with a First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA). This is the standard first hearing in private law children cases. At this hearing, a judge or magistrate will try to help both parties reach agreement. If that is not possible, the case moves to further hearings.
Applications can be made with notice, meaning the other parent receives the paperwork in advance. In urgent situations, you may apply without notice, but the court will only grant this where there is a genuine risk of harm or where delay would cause serious problems. You will need to explain in your application why the matter is urgent and provide supporting evidence where possible.

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Try our Court Form Finder free, here on this site →Types of orders available
The courts can make several types of order under the Children Act 1989:
- Child arrangements order: covers who a child lives with and when they spend time with each parent
- Prohibited steps order: stops someone taking a specific action, such as removing a child from the country
- Specific issue order: settles a particular dispute, such as which school a child should attend
Many fathers applying to court will be seeking a child arrangements order. This single order replaced the old residence and contact orders in 2014.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Completing the court forms
The main form for child arrangements is the C100. You can download it from GOV.UK or collect a copy from your local Family Court. The form asks for details about you, the other parent, and your children. It also asks what orders you are seeking and why. The MIAM confirmation section is now included within the C100 itself, so a separate FM1 form is no longer required.
Be factual when filling in the forms and avoid emotional language. The court is interested in facts, not opinions about the other parent's character. Ensure clarity if handwriting forms.
There is a court fee to submit your application. The current fee can be found on GOV.UK. You may be able to apply for help with fees if you are on a low income or receiving certain benefits.
Once you submit your forms, the court will send copies to the other parent along with a date for the first hearing. Cafcass will be notified and a Cafcass officer will contact both parents before the hearing to carry out safeguarding checks. These checks are standard and involve looking at police and local authority records. The Cafcass officer may also speak to you by telephone to gather initial information about your concerns and the child's circumstances.
Writing your statement
You will usually need to prepare a written statement setting out your position. Judges have limited reading time, so a focused and factual account will carry more weight than lengthy complaints.
Structure your statement in a logical order. Start with brief background about your relationship and when you separated. Then explain the current arrangements for the children and what problems have arisen. Finally, set out what you are asking the court to order.
Avoid personal attacks on the other parent. The court's primary concern is the children's welfare, although relevant conduct may be considered where it affects the children. Stick to what matters for the decisions the court needs to make.
Include dates and specific examples where you can. If contact has been refused, note when this happened. If there are concerns about the children's welfare, explain them clearly.
Your statement should be signed with a statement of truth confirming the contents are accurate to the best of your knowledge. Check the court's guidance on format and length, as page limits often apply. The court will set deadlines for when statements must be filed.
If you are representing yourself, consider seeking legal advice before your hearing. Some solicitors offer fixed fee consultations, and you may be eligible for legal aid if your case involves domestic abuse or you are on a low income. Free guidance is available from the Personal Support Unit, which operates in many court buildings, and from Citizens Advice. Law centres and legal clinics run by some universities also offer support. GOV.UK provides guidance specifically for litigants in person in family proceedings.
Don't want to go there again. Want to make application in high court family division .
Appeal court also did not consider the application against circuit judge.
We recently split again due to his lack of change and commitment and I feel that his not willing to better ourselves as a family and wants to live on benefits. He says he is dying although his heart echocardiogram came back find his now having ct scans for copd which he thinks he now has. He is always diagnosing himself with something off the internet and when he mentions this to the doctors and has tests they tell him not to read into things and test results are all normal. He says he is dying and talks about going abroad for assisted suicide as he cannot live like this anymore I have all this in emails. He says I am a bad mother and that I have abused and controlled him for the whole time we were in a relationship together. We have a lot of outstanding debts which I have asked him to split but he refuses even though I have said I'll go to a small claims court.
Anyway we have split again and now he lives quite away from me and the children. I have offered him 1 phone a week on a Friday and I have also enquired about two contact centres which can facilitate contact for him quite quickly. I have set the ball rolling so to speak but he is refusing this contact centre and won't go to one. What can I do now any advice please
Thanks
I'm in process of divorce and my wife has joined army for 14 weeks training and given me our six year old boy.
I am also in army but rent a house and put my son in school near my partner who I live with and his Nan who picks him up and drops him off at school.
She thinks she's walking back in taking him from school and moving him to birmingham which my sons said he doesn't want to go. She has no family there or friends and my son will end up with babysitters instead of family he knows with me.
I work away Monday to Thursday but I'm home every weekend and have his Nan on hand all week and he is happy.
Hes made friends and lives his school so I'm planning to tell her no and to go apply for residency.
She pays me buttons for caring for him so also thinking should I go csa?
I just want my son to be happy ..me and my new partner are having his sister in Oct and hes excited about it we both want him here .
Help needed asap have four weeks to stop her taking him.
My partner has just filed a C100 form because I wasn't prepared to give my written consent for them to ta el abroad this summer. I gave the written consent before she submitteed the form but asked for 5 working days to consider some conditions I wanted to include in my consent, regarding contact while they were away etc. She refused to wait for those conditions, which I provided in writing today, and submitted the C100 anyway. This seems like an enormous waste of court time, and her money. Can the process be stopped or do we have to see it to completion now that the form has been submitted?
Cheers
Marc
It is a housing association house joint tenancy. I’ve been to mediation and have my certificate but I’ve got no idea what to do next plz help
I have requested to change the times to every other Saturday into Sunday.
This would mean I have the children every other Saturday into Sunday and every Wednesday. However my ex partner refused this.
The reason I would like to change the days is that I have a high profile job that requests me to work a certain amount of Sundays in the year. I am also in a new relationship now and feel that I have no quality time with my other half as every full day I have of is with the children.
I love my children very much and will always give them the very best, I also feel that having them the extra night a month will be beneficial for both sides.
What are the chances of this holding up in court? I know cafcass will put the children at the heart of everything, I feel that I am being reasonable.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Thank you.
My husband has two kids from a previous relationship. One lived with us for about a year and the second was sent to us because his ex 'could not cope' and stayed for about 6 months We were paying for everything , private school , clothing etc. She was calling them very seldom .In the summer she had them for two weeks holiday and refused to give them back ( her and my husband argued about money). Since then she refused all contact with the children. During that time she had taken them to China( where she is from)without his consent and knowledge, put them into boarding school and came back to the UK. She kept that all a secret for about 4 months. Their age is 7 and 3.
What can he do? She lives in UK and has properties. Children were born in the UK and do not speak Chinese and way to young to stay in a foreign country without a parent. He wants them back.
Police says for them that is not a crime ( for us that is abduction)and social services say it outside their jurisdiction..?!
Because my ex said if she gonna find out I am
I been told bailiff will handle her letter she can’t take my daughter from uk
Is she alow to leave a country for a holiday ? For. Final court we are waiting now date of hearing
Just find out their want to go abord but I am not sure is she will be stopped
A mutual exchange was arranged but I was given an incomplete / unsigned copy. he received mine in full at that time.
I requested a full copy and now I have two documents, one that has changes that were clearly made after my statement had been handed to him.
Do I lodge this with court? Or do I have to wait until the hearing?
thanks!
Im told i will be allowed unsupervised visits when my exs mother feels i can be trusted. She seems to have a crazy idea that i would run away with the children LOL.
My question is.. do i hold out abit longer until my exs mother trusts me or do i go to court for a contact order?
Im not even asking for overnight stays yet, just unsupervised visits for a whole day. Can even start with unsupervised visits once a week for couple hours to start building trust and gradually extend it.
Sorry, long story , my ex left in september 2014 and took our two children (now 6 & 4). She moved 200 miles away to her family and immediately moved her new bf in. New boyfriend has previous ss involvement and lost his own two children, and has mental health issues. From the october, ss became involved due to domestic violence, they moved around repeatedly and in and out of hostels and back to the boyfriend's again. Incidents occurred every couple of months (the bf trying to suffocate my youngest, kids being hit locked in bedroom school attendance). I was denied access for the first 6 months after them moving away. They were put on a CIN plan early 2016 and still things got worse. December 16 the bf hit my daughter (now 6).She told school and social worker. It was found that the huge mark on her face WAS caused by large adult hand and non accide tal. BF arrested and bailed to have zero contact with the kids. Mother still adamant the injury was accident done at school and insists still my daughter is lying. Both kids placed CPP in January this year under physical and emotion abuse and neglect and citing the mother cannot protect the children from harm. Police dropped charge in March and mother immediately moved him back home.
Following a CPP review in March and hearing the distress my kids get and their appearance being dishevelled and nit infested whenever they vist me, SS started legal planning.
The kids visited me and my wife for a week at Easter and we decided enough was enough and the children remained with us.
Started court proceedings in April and got urgent prohibitive steps order. Kids registered new school and gp within 3 weeks of them remaining with us.
We are fully supported by their social worker. (Their social worker is still involved with Mother as she has new baby with this man).
First hearing at court inJune gave me interim residence and kept prohibited steps in place. Mother denied everything and claims everyone's ganged up on her blah blah blah. Court ordered section 7 report
from social worker and brief cafcass report.
Mother denied it all to cafcass and told them I was physically abusive during out relationship and still to our daughter (i never have been never will be..and crb is clear).
August we had a transfer meeting to move the two kids from the mothers social services area to mine. Deemed at no risk and all needs met. Kids taken off all plans and we have family intervention team via school to help with daughters behaviour. COULDNT BELIEVE IT SO HAPPY.
Section 7 report done, fully in mine and my wifes favour, requests one phone call a week with mother and one half day visit a month and no overnight and no contact with her now fiance.
In court yesterday for second hearing. Annoyed not a lot happened. Judge read the section7. Mother denied it all and adamant she wants kids home. Judge now wants statements and a final full day hearing.
My question-what is the point of section 7 repo
My question is how to pay the fee and how to submit my application?
Thanks for your support.
any ideas will be welcomed
thank you
Thanks in advance
I'm being refused any sort of access to my 8 yr old.
When his mother and me finally split after a year of constant arguments. Things were semi civil between us.
I was allowed to see my son. It wasn't easy but I got to see him.
Most of our arguments revolved around money. And silly things about the break up.
She worked nights and her eldest would watch him she went work. For the past few years this would be my responsibility.
She had a physical fight with her son and he moved out.
I was told I would have to watch my son. Which of course I did.
It wasn't easy considering I was staying at families.
We ended up having words over the time she was dropping and the fact she couldn't stick to them.
She stopped me having him.
And now she's refusing any form off access.
I was paying a lot of money to her and have dropped that to the amount the CSA have told me.
It has also been proven that she was having a affair and had since moved this person into the family home.
They have rang the police to say I've made threats against them.
No further action from the police after I agreed to give a statement on tape and proved that there was two sides to the story.
I'm being accused of all sorts including abuse towards her and my son.
What can I do about all of this.
I just want my son in my life
I am trying to find a stated case t
Which prevents a my ex getting residence order via getting a prohibted steps order. She has applied for a prohibited steps order hearing tommrrow morning and i know there is a stated case which blocks the steps as it makes them have full custody.
Thanks
I'd like advice on the following please. My ex has stopped contact between me (father) and my daughter (5 years old) My ex and I have a tempremental relationship and sometimes do not see eye to eye, however over the past 2 years I have been seeing my daughter every other month, some long weekends and also during the school holidays. I live in London and my daughter lives in Devon, travel can be expensive as I'm unemployed but my family and I priorities my daughter. My daughter is very much part of my family and I would like advice on what I can do to gain access to my daughter, as my ex will chop and change her mind regarding when and if I can see my daughter depending on how she feels on that day.
I'm also a little worried as my ex is moving to a new part of England at the end of April a) I don't agree with move as my daughter is flourishing where she is now and has a good family unit b) if they move before my exes mood changes I won't know where my daughter is. I currently do not have any legal access rights, however I am named on my daughters both certificate. Any advice would be appreciated.
need advised about how to withdraw child arrangement order application from family court.recently i put application to seek contact to my children but i change my mind. can you please provide information thanks
I signed an undertaking not to go near property or have contact with ex.
The judge set out a schedule for the applicant (my ex) to apply under schedule 7 of the the family law act to decide the tenancy of our joint tenancy council property - but she has not served a copy of the application on me by the prescribed time.
I don't know if she has served on landlord or made the application to the court. Where does this leave me? And what should I do?
Instead of just attending hearings can I also make a c100 application as a counter or do I let the court allocate it to FDRHA and take it from there. Which forms do I use to say my part?
My son is desparate to have contact but his ex partner says one minute he can see the baby next minute he cant. He wants to take this to court but can not afford the costly fees and just dosent know what to do.
Please please advise
ANYWAY I NEED TO SEE MY KIDS THERE WAS A NON MOL ORDER ITS FINISHED NOW WHAT CAN I DO TO SEE MY KIDS ???MY KIDS ARE AGE 15 14 and 09 MY SONS BIN BRAINWASHED BETWEEN THE MUM AND HER NEW BLOKE WHICH ALSO USED TO SMOKE CRACK AND WAS IN A MENTAL INSTITUTION I ALSO KNOW HE LIKES YOUNGER GIRLS THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM TO ME! I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO
I have three children with my ex, I was seeing them until 2013 but then I remarried then she refused my access to children.
I did try through mediation in 2014 but she did not co-oprate
but I did not apply to court due to financial reason
now I want to got to court as last mediation papers expired
now I applied again for mediation again but she is not replying, if I go to court will I get my contact with children as I have not seen them formerly for nearly four years
children are 12, 10 and 8 years.
I am remarried and have child from new wife as well.
Due to health issues I currently no longer want to pursue this case as it's too stressful for me and is impacting on my well being. I wish to close the case for now. Please can you advice me.
My partner of a year is having issues with his ex wife and access to his children. We have the children on a pre agreed basis over a two week cycle which it's around his and her work pattern however we would like to hhave them for one extra night instead of them being dropped off at ?. They both have their own rooms with us and are more than happy but the ex wife is saying no. Also where do we stand on taking them abroad on holiday? She has basically said she isn't happy about them going with us but we would have them for our agreed 4 days furi g this period anyway? Also she is now stopping the eldest (11) from using WiFi to contact her dad via messaging services and has even disconnected the router to stop her phone from working surely there is something we can do to stop this unreasonable behaviour?
A c1a
I have not been violent to her verbally or physical or mentally.she is doing anything In her power to stop me seen my children.
How do I defend myself on this allegations
I have tried mediation with my wife on childcare what I should pay and access but she has now quit her job (receiving a significant pay off in the process) and cannot now afford the family home, of which there is close to 50k in equity. I can no longer afford the mortgage as well as the rent on my new property so need to stop paying anything above what the CSA advise me.
The original plan was to sell the house and split the equity and move on. She is now refusing to sell the house and cannot afford the monthly repayments. Is there anything I can do about this? I don't want make my kids homeless but I cannot afford to pay for her lifestyle and she seems determined to get the house repossessed and I will lose my share of the equity.
The second element is that we have two children who I see thurday, Friday and Saturday stopping with me till I drop them back at theyre mums Saturdy at midday. I am constantly threatened with her stopping me seeing the kids as the arrangement we have is informal I want to extend this to three and a half nights a week from 2 and formalise it in court.
any help with my two issues would be great..
Ash
I'm in a new relationship well nearly two years with a man who has awful problems seeing his children.. the mother can't stand the fact I am with him so denies access if I am around ...I am taking a step back in this but...is there something he can do to stop her from just saying no normally by text an hour before he's about to collect them ....they have been apart for 6 years never married ...she is currently engaged to someone else ...so I don't see what her problem is ....it's breaking his heart that he feels he has to choose between having a life or seeing his children .....his children are his first thought....
The ex we were not sure if the baby was his so we asked for a Dna test when she was born. She was born prematurely at 30 weeks and was quite poorly. Relations had broken down by this time and when she left hospital in February we did the Dna test and it proves he was the father, but he is not on the birth certificate. He has paid maintenance directly to her since February when she came out of hospital. She will not allow my son to see his daughter with his fiancé as she does not like her, but her new boyfriend who has been on the scene for 2 months is allowed to see the baby. She has allowed me to see her but I feel disloyal as I think she should let us meet the baby together As a family. What rights has he? How can he see his child without her being there Nd with his partner. Does he have to pay still if he has no access. She has allowed. My son to see the baby with her. But caused so many problems by slagging g off his fiancé the whole time. What can we do as he is desperate to see his daughter.
I am due to give birth in two days time and the local authorities want to apply for a interim court order and this is due to the fact that they believe that the baby and me should be in a residential care under 24/7 supervision. They believe that my partner is abusive, my mental health and also no family support. What should I do and expect??
I am currently supporting my partner to gain access to see his children, his ex partner has denied him access for the past 6 years despite several attempts and has now moved and will not tell us where they are. I have completed the C4 and C100 forms as we do not know where my partners ex has moved to, how long does it take to get a court date through in these cases? I feel it is worth mentioning that my partner has been to mediation however the ex refused after a 3 week wait for her appointment to come around.
My partner has finally managed to get a first hearing in the family court for a contact order on the 8th June.
We are unrepresented so having to do everything ourselves.
He hasnt seen her 4 years and this is the furthest he has got with the court as it was settled out of court last time but he never actually saw her after that.
We are wandering what happens if she fails to attend the first hearing and what will happen next.
We havent heard of a response from her as of yet either.
Any of advice on what the rest of the process works as well would be a great help
Thanks
Hope to hear from you very soon.
if she has commenced court proceedings with solicitor how long before i hear about it by the court? We are not communication with my wife. I have been told she has instructed a solicitor.
thank you
Thanks
Contact has again broken down and goes threw my mother via email or text. Over the past year i have had the children at least 50 percent of time but no set structure. Her new partner is a pilot so she travels alot with him and sometime decides to go away at very short notice (24hrs) and i have the children.
I have asked for the time to be structured but she will not agree. I asked her many times and said i will have no option but to go to court. In January i applied to the court for contact 50/50 and since then she has stopped me seeing children and having only every other weekend. She is also saying its to disruptive to children having contact midweek. Yet she goes out a lot and sometimes away leaving children with babysitter or new partners mother who they do not like. I have today received a C7 form saying the children are at risk of violence being with me? Yet i have had the children since last Thursday and the whole of half term. This is a total fabrication and how will this affect my case? My eldest is 9 ? will cafcass interview her that young? They are both desperate to live with me. She has a high flyer solicitor but i am going to represent myself? I have total changed my life to be here 24/7 for my children and cannot even begin to imagine only seeing them evey 2 weeks. Any advice on my situation greatly appreciated.
I currently have 50/50 shared access to my 11 year old son, after a slight debate with his mother she now says that he's not allowed to come to my house and he will be staying with her from now on.
I have been nothing but nice and fair and reasonable with her throughout my sons life as we split when he was 1, I've always had access to my son.
Every time we have an argument she threatens to take him from me I've had enough now I need something in writing to say when I can see him so that is what is stuck to.
I have a stable family home with my new partner and our daughter we have been in the same home for 2 years now.
She has moved house 4 times in the last year swiching from partner to partner even moved my sons school in his last year of primary school.
Any advise and my rights?
.any advice would be awesome thanks.
We are from Lithuania and staying in the UK temporary. Father is norwegian and visits son in Lithuania 3-4 times a year. I have got residency order, which by Lithuanian laws allows me to take son out of a country as long as needed, even permanently and I do not need fathers permission. Father has always tried to revenge, so this time he gave faulty information and said that I hace abducted child from Lithuania. So when we tried to go on holiday from UK , we were stopped at the airport. Our passports were taken away. At the court I was only told that I have to leave back to Lithuania within 7 days. I was trying y
to explain that by Lithuanian laws with a residency order I do not need fathers permission. But I was told that I need another document showing that, but there is such document because there is no time limit. No we have to leave but our passports have not been located. Any advice of what to do would be helpful, because we have not done anything and treated as criminals. Already a week withkut documents. When father asked for Child Abduction order, he did not show any court orders or anything, and no one was trying to listen to me.
Thank you
Am I right in being told that the date you receive your c100 form and mediation is ended. You have 3/4 months to apply to the courts from this date?
Women have been fighting for equal rights in lots of things and have been winning them bit by bit but residence and contact, men have been fighting but nothing is happening.
Has anyone contacted the Equalities Minister on this if there is such a one ?
Many thanks
Laura miles
what i need to do now for a court action?
My question is, if a CAO is granted to him and it is recognised that I am the principle carer, am I entitled to take our children on holiday using the up to 28 day rule, without his consent?
Is this why he's applied for a PSO aswell? Will one rule out the other? I wonder whether if he is granted both how I stand please. Any ideas?
i posting on here as i am stuck what to do now, my issue is i have a 4 year old daughter i have always been an active part of her life, myself and her mother split nearly 2 years ago and since then i have had a nightmare of a battle to see my daughter where my ex stated i had PTSD ( medically proven i don't) we went to court where all her claims were disproven, i was granted a contact order that has come to its natural end (judge ordered mediation to allow us to come to more long term agreements, i.e overnight stays ect) she has failed to do this however i have been, i paid 7 thousand pounds in court fees and am not in a position where i can afford to do this again however i am really struggling to do the 500 mile round trip for a seven hour visit, also on the visit dates my ex will stay with my child for the first 20 minutes telling her she doesn't have to come with her daddy this makes the first hour one spent trying to calm my daughter down, my ex will not tell me the doctors name school name or where she live ( and is moving to in june) i have been given times and days i can call my daughter however my ex states my child is sleeping or busy during these times and will not change the timing, it is a very difficult situation and i really need to know where to go next i am concerned my daughter is still drinking out of a bottle and wearing nappies, no set bed or meal times however i cannot raise this to anyone as i don't have her address if anyone could help please please do
I am taking my child, who is 3, away to Colombia this summer to visit her extended family but her mother is now 'threatening' a prohibitive steps order. As her father, I have a full residence order and she has been in my care for the best part of 2 years. Mother has parental responsibility, after all she is her mother. Upon previous court proceedings, her mother did not wish to have any residency due to "personal reasons" and CAFCASS saw this "effective absence" as an advantage to my daughters life. She has had my daughter one night a week (when convenient to mothers ever-changing schedule) for the past half a year. Since the announcement of the holiday, mother has tried to up the anti by requesting more days of access and even involving a contact centre. Obviously, I welcomed this as any signs of preventing access could be seen as immoral. True to her nature, she has not been able to fulfil these requests entirely, changing days when other plans arise etc., not to mention not being able to find alternative arrangements when she is meant to be in care (i.e. grandparents were also unable to accomodate provisions), and therefore my daughter was left with me until she wanted access. I sent her a courtesy letter highlighting the dates of the holiday, 26 days to ensure this is kept within the 28 day limit stated on the residence order; presented return tickets and emergency contact details whilst we are away. Mother is now 'threatening' to get a PSO using the idea that Colombia is 'too dangerous' as her back-up. Whilst I know I am within my right to take my daughter away, and given that its an opportunity to meet her extended family, has anyone got any information on what might be the outcome if she 'does' go to court? I am from Colombia myself and I know this is a positive opportunity for my daughter to meet her family and see where my heritage comes from. I forgot to mention I am travelling with a UK citizen who is a teacher, which further backs up my case that I WILL be returning. I can't help but feel like this is a personal vendetta. I have never received any form of child maintenance from her mother, nor claimed I couldn't look after my daughter when she cancelled her access within 24 hours of when the arrangement was meant to take place. Ive been to a solicitor and they said it would be irrelevant for me to go to court first as I have nothing to argue. Any advice would be much appreciated. JJ
The mother moved from Cambridge to epsom and then disconnected the phone that was used for me to contact my son .
I have already spent £5000 solicitors fees and I am unable to pay anymore costs
I just want contact back as I have been in my sons life since he was born
What can I do ?
same here mate; except im still waiting -12 weeks late! soliciotrs do nuthing cept take the money
Many thanks for any help or advice
My daughter offered 1 night every other weekend, and 1 day during the week, fixed around he working pattern, as he works shifts, this was to continue for 1 month bringing her home later and later after the overnight stay, after this time going to 2 nights for a month, building up to 3 nights when his schedule allowed.
He did not want to discuss (before he heard what was offered) this so asked for a magistrates view, they suggested 1 night until June, building to 2 nights in September and 3 nights from January 2016, of course he did not agree to this, and now insists on a contested hearing.
My daughter has only once stopped him from seeing her father and that was at the recommendation of the police, and before going to court the first time, and has tried to work around his schedule, which was difficult as he has not provided one since December and she has rearranged plans at the last minute when possible so their child could see their father.
In the past my daughter has paid to go to mediation, he refused to go, then sort legal help and the solicitors offered to pay for mediation, he went then but later stated this was only due to having to go through mediation so he could apply for court.
At the 1st hearing they were both tasked with attending separated parenting classes, which they have both been to.
Without going into he say she says, my daughter acted badly when she ended the relationship, there was not anyone else involved, she just grew apart from the activities they were both doing, and realized her priorities had changed when she found she was pregnant, and although he now has a new partner he will not stop blaming my daughter for leaving.
The court usher explained that there could be a charge for wasting court time, with the case now going to a contested hearing (no idea what that means), but my daughter is now confused to what else she can offer to make him happy, and to try to take things forward, in a civil manor, so their child has 2 parents working together.
any help, suggestions or advice is greatly appreciated.
I have not seen my daughters for over 6 months due to my spiteful wife who i have been seperated from for almost 2 years. I have just got word that my legal aid review has been granted so she will be getting served with court papers soon and I am looking to get some kind of contact as soon as possible as the past few months have been a living nightmare as shes not even allowed me to speak to my daughters (3 &6 years old) in all this time. Anyway, I was wondering if your going to court guide applies to me as I live in Scotland and my understanding is the law in England and Wales is very different?
Any advice would be much appreciated, Thanks
I have not seen my son who is five year old, in over six weeks his mother has told me to forget about him and has blocked all my family's number from her phone.
She has done this before but now she has a new boy Freind and I feel he has influenced her dedication.
Please help me To see my son.
I look forward to your reply.
Best regards
Ryaz Domas
I would greatly appreciate your help with this matter
Yours Sincerely
Me Jacob Williams
She was happy to have him travel to France with his nan for a holiday but now she has a problem with my son visiting me also with his nan.
What can I do?
My Partner is approaching his Final Hearing for hopefully gaining more contact to his daughter cafcass have reccomened access overnight and very frequesntly which the Mother has refused hence it going to a contested hearing
Do you have any advice on writting teh statement that needs to be issued an also what documents need to be given prior to the hearing.
Thanks
the mother of my partners child has stopped his acces for no reason. he is on the birth citificate and the child was born in 2008. Does that mean he automatically has perental rights? and what does he need to do to gain access again? he cannot talk to the mother as she will not answer his calls. any advice would be greatly apriciated.
Kind Regards
Nicola Jones
I am trying to download lots of the paper work and info on matters but i canot see the download button. just for example i cant download Guide to Court 1: 1st Hearing; Court Forms & Statement.
if you can help
please point the way
many thanks
stuart
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