When parents cannot agree on arrangements for their children, the family court may make decisions about where a child lives and when they spend time with another parent or important person.
What can an order cover?
A Child Arrangements Order may describe living arrangements, weekends, holidays, handovers and special occasions. The terms of the individual order matter.
Keep the current order accessible
Store an up to date copy and check whether later orders have varied earlier arrangements.
Organise key dates
A calendar can help visualise recurring weekends, school holiday divisions and other planned dates. Always check calendar entries against the original order.
If arrangements need to change
The legal position depends on the terms of the order and the circumstances. Do not assume informal conversations permanently change a binding order. Seek qualified family law advice where appropriate.
How CoNest can help
CoNest includes tools intended to help parents organise schedules and review information from court orders. The software does not replace the original order, determine its legal meaning or provide legal advice.
This guide gives general information about England and Wales and is not legal advice.