Introduction
A Child Arrangements Order is an order that regulates who a child lives with, spend time or otherwise have contact, and when a child is to live, spend time or otherwise have contact with any person. Each Child Arrangements Order is decided on the circumstances of the individual family and on what is in the best interests of that particular child. This means that there is no such thing as a ‘usual’ arrangement. Child Arrangements Orders are governed by Section 8 Children Act 1989.
Which Court deals with Child Arrangements Orders
There is one court called the Family Court, which works in different places across England and Wales, and which deals with disagreements between separated families.
The court will expect you to have attempted family mediation before you make an application. This is called a mediation information and assessment meeting (MIAM).
You do not need to attend a MIAM in certain cases, for example if there’s been domestic abuse or if you’re applying for a consent order.
You can find the contact details and opening times of all courts at Find the right court or tribunal.
In most cases the court will expect both parents to be involved in their child’ life it is usually in a child’s best interests to spend time with the parent they are not living with day to day. Sometimes there may be reasons why this is not safe or in the best interests of the children. Sometimes courts make an order restricting or monitoring this time.
Court Forms
To apply for a child arrangements order you need to fill in a C100 form. You can apply online, or you can apply using a paper form.
Applying online is likely to be:
- easier – you only have to answer the relevant questions rather than wading through all the questions, and
- quicker – you don’t need to print it out, make copies or post it, and the court will have your application on their system as soon as you submit it.
If you prefer to do a paper form that is still available. You can find details about both the online and paper applications by going to Form C100. This takes you to the GOV.UK page with information on both.
Court Fee
You usually have to pay a family court fee when you start proceedings about the arrangements for your children. the court calls this ‘issuing proceedings’. Court fees vary. The current court fee for a C100 form is £263. The fees do change so to be sure what the fee is when you apply, by going to the court fees list EX50.
Help with court fees
You may not have to pay a fee at all or only a reduced fee if you have a low income. For example, you will not pay anything if you can prove that you get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit guarantee credit, Universal Credit with gross annual earnings of less than £6,000, or income-related Employment and Support Allowance and your savings or other capital don’t go over certain limits.
To ask for help with paying court fees, go to Getting help paying court and tribunal fees.
You have to complete a separate application for each court fee you want help paying. This may mean you have to complete this form more than once during your case.
Last Updated on May 6, 2026 by Ashford Advice