A contact order is an order made by the court under section 8 Children’s Act 1989 and is also known as a child order. This order effectively allows the non-resident parent to have contact with the child or have the child stay with them for a short period of time.

This child order would outline the type of contact i.e. whether it is direct or indirect contact and how frequently this contact takes place.

If you are wondering how do I get a contact order then contact one of our child law specialists who can look to assist you in obtaining this.

You can apply for a child order under section 8 children’s act when you as parents are unable to agree between yourself as to when you can see the child. Any child order can only apply until the child attains the age of 16 years.

Who can apply for a child order?

If you are a parent, stepparent, grandparent or have parental responsibility over a child then our family law specialists can assist you in applying for a child order.

At the outset you can possibly look to arrange a discussion between yourself and the resident parent to try and see whether you can come to an agreement for child contact. Should this not work you can look undertake mediation. This is where a neutral mediator will assist in trying to reach an agreement.

Mediation is also recommended because if all negotiation fails and you are required to apply to the court then you will need to satisfy that you have attempted to mediate and you have undertaken a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting which is also known as a MIAM.

Should you require assistance in arranging mediation contact us today to arrange this for you to try and resolve your child issues.

Our family specialists can assist you in completing the form C100 to begin the process for a child contact order. Once this form has been completed it will need to be submitted to the family court.

Once your application is submitted to the family court you are likely to be asked to attend a directions hearing which is also known as the First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA). The process for a child order commences with the directions hearing family court.

Prior to the directions hearing in family court all parties including CAFCASS will be notified. CAFCASS will usually arrange for a safeguarding report to be prepared detailing the police and background checks of the parties involved.

CAFCASS will also carry out a telephone interview with both parents to obtain a better understanding of the situation. Our family specialists can help to best prepare you in readiness of the directions hearing in family court.

Parties will usually be expected to arrive an hour earlier than the directions hearing in family court. The matter will usually be heard before a district judge, magistrate or a legal advisor. After the introductions at the directions hearing in family court for a child order both parties will individually meet with the CAFCASS officer and the findings will be placed in the court. If an agreement can be reached then the court has the ability to make a final order detailing the agreement.

If no agreement is reached then a further dispute resolution appointment will be held. The judge will give the directions and commission for a section 7 report to be produced by CAFCASS which the courts will intend to rely on. The report will be produced once all the parties have been interviewed by CAFCASS.

Our family law experts can assist you from completing your child order application to preparing you for the directions hearing in family court. Please do not hesitate to contact us to arrange a consultation to assess your position.

What is the section 8 childrens act? 

Section 8 childrens act is the legislation which covers applications for child residence and child contact. It also provides the law for specific issue orders and prohibited steps order.  

Can grandparents apply for a child order? 

In a nutshell parents, stepparents, grandparents, guardians and any one with parental responsibility is able to apply for a child order. Our family law experts have successfully assisted grandparents in obtaining child orders, and if you are a grandparent or guardian looking for the same contact our offices today to begin the process.

Can I still get a contact order if I live abroad?

Contact can be both direct and indirect. Indirect contact is an option our specialists can discuss with you should you be living abroad. We can try and assist with regular telephone calls, skype calls, video call, emails and other forms suitable to you.