We cannot make decisions for you. We can assist you in ensuring your rights and those of your child remain protected throughout the legal process. In that way, the legal team at Austin Kemp can provide you with a wide range of insights and tools to help navigate this process. That includes:

• Explaining the law and the legal process of establishing child arrangement orders to you.
• Helping you to negotiate with other child custody solicitors working with the other parent.
• Negotiating terms and conditions with the Court and advising you with a wide range of needs.
• Supporting you in pursuing the necessary financial order to meet the needs of your child.
• Provide insight into other aspects of the divorce proceedings, including helping with property transfers and assisting in forensic accounting as needed.

Allow us to set up a consultation with you as the first step. Our family law solicitors will provide you with insight into all of your legal options and rights during your consultation.

For those who wish to pursue a child arrangement order, the first step is typically to complete a Mediation Information Assessment Meeting or MIAM. This meeting is required for all parties involved to attend, where a qualified mediator will work to communicate between all parties to create a solution or plan that meets everyone’s needs. In some situations, a dispute may make this difficult, in which case an alternative dispute resolution process may be used, such as mediation. If this does not lead to a satisfactory outcome, the case goes on to the Court.

It is typically less demanding and costly to work through mediation to resolve these types of disputes, but there may be situations where this is not appropriate, such as instances in which domestic violence is occurring, or the safety of the child is at risk.

When it is not possible, your solicitor will help you to submit the necessary documentation to the Court with the declaration of seeking a child arrangement order. A hearing date is then established, which all parents and guardians of the child must attend. In addition, a representative from the Children and Family Court Advisory Service (CAFCASS) will also attend. The goal is to try to come to a resolution and to have the arrangement made. Many cases are resolved during this initial meeting. If that does not happen, the Court ultimately makes its decision in the case.

Working closely with our child custody solicitors at Austin Kemp will empower you to go through this process in the best way possible. We can help you with all types of complications in divorces or separations, including:

• Buying real estate after a divorce
• What happens when assets or money are hidden
• Determining how much you are entitled to in the divorce
• How arrangement orders can be changed in the future
• How financial decisions are made

It is critical that you have a solicitor working to support your needs. Contact Austin Kemp’s child arrangement order solicitor for more information and guidance.