Received a Child Arrangements Court Order — What Happens Next

Opening an envelope to find a court order about your children can stop you in your tracks. Whatever the circumstances that led to this moment, it is completely normal to feel anxious, confused, or unsure what to do first. A Child Arrangements Order is a legally binding document issued by a family court in England or Wales that sets out where your child lives and when they spend time with each parent or other significant people in their life. This post explains what it means, what you must do, and where to get help.

What does this actually mean?

A Child Arrangements Order is made under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989. It replaces what used to be called a "residence order" or "contact order" — you may still hear those older terms, but they are now both covered by this single type of order.

The order will contain one or both of the following:

• Lives with — stating which parent (or parents, in a shared arrangement) the child lives with day to day.
• Spends time with — setting out a schedule for when the child sees the other parent, including school holidays, birthdays, and other arrangements.

The order is not a suggestion. Every adult named in it is legally obliged to follow it. Failing to comply without a good reason can result in serious consequences, including enforcement proceedings back at the Family Court (which handles these matters in England and Wales at a local level, typically through your nearest hearing centre).

Read the order carefully from start to finish. Check the names, dates, and the specific wording around handover times and locations. Courts use precise language, so a phrase like "the first weekend of each month" has a specific meaning and it is worth being certain you understand it.

Do you need to act immediately?

In most cases you do not need to do anything within hours, but there are some time-sensitive points to be aware of:

• If you want to appeal the order, you must act quickly. You generally have 21 days from the date the order was made to file an appeal. Missing this window makes appealing significantly harder, so take legal advice as soon as possible if you disagree with the outcome.
• If the order takes effect immediately, check whether any handover or arrangement is due in the coming days. Courts sometimes make orders that start the same week they are issued.
• If you have a safeguarding concern — for example, you believe following the order puts your child at risk — do not simply refuse to comply. Contact a solicitor urgently and, if there is an immediate danger to the child, contact the police or children's services straight away.
• If the other party has already breached the order, you can apply to the court for enforcement, but there is no strict deadline for doing so. Keep a written record of any breaches, including dates and what happened.

Your next steps

1. Read the order in full — note the start date, every specific arrangement, and any conditions attached.
2. Diarise all key dates — put handover times, holiday arrangements, and review dates in a calendar straight away.
3. Communicate clearly — if you need to discuss logistics with the other parent, keep messages polite and factual. Written communication (text or email) creates a useful record.
4. Keep a log — if you anticipate difficulties, start a simple diary noting what was agreed in the order and what actually happened each time.
5. Check for a CAFCASS involvement clause — some orders mention the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS), the organisation that advises courts on children's welfare. If CAFCASS has been asked to review the arrangement, you may be contacted by them.
6. Do not make unilateral changes — even if both parents agree informally to change the arrangement, it is safer to have any significant variation recorded in writing or, for permanent changes, to apply to the court to vary the order formally.

When should you speak to a solicitor?

You should speak to a family law solicitor as soon as possible if any of the following apply:

• You want to appeal the order and are within or approaching the 21-day window.
• The other parent is refusing to follow the order or is making it difficult for you to do so.
• You are worried about your child's safety during time with the other parent.
• You want to apply to vary (change) the order because your circumstances have changed significantly since it was made.
• You do not fully understand what the order requires you to do.

Many family solicitors offer a free or fixed-fee initial consultation, and some areas still have access to legal aid for family matters where domestic abuse is a factor. It is worth checking your eligibility.

If you are not sure where to start, CaseBridger is a free tool that gives you instant AI-powered guidance based on your specific situation and can help you find a qualified family solicitor near you — a straightforward first step when everything feels anything but.