Education and Child Matters

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How To Get The Court To Approve Your Child Arrangements Agreement Agreed Between Yourselves Or Through Mediation

 

INTRODUCTION 

You have 3 options available to you for sorting out your child arrangements when there has been a family breakdown such as divorce or separation:

  1. Between yourselves (also called DIY child arrangements)
  2. With the help of mediation
  3. Or go through the court process where they can help you or decide for you.

If you and your ex-partner have managed to sort out your child arrangements between yourselves (option 1 above) or through mediation (option 2 above) then this webpage is for you. You both now DO NOT have to go through the whole court process and let the court help or decide your child arrangements for you. 

All you have to do now is to get the court to approve your child arrangements agreement. This can also be referred to as the court will ‘formalise’ your agreement.

NOW THAT YOU BOTH HAVE AGREED YOUR CHILD ARRANGEMENTS WHAT DO YOU DO?

Once you both have agreed child arrangements, you and your ex-partner must write down all your agreements and decisions onto a piece of paper called a draft consent agreement. 

If you have agreed child arrangements with the help of a mediator, they can write the draft consent agreement for you. Please ask the cost and decide if you can afford it. 

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR CHILD ARRANGEMENTS WITH MEDIATION HELP

If you have agreed child arrangements between yourselves (DIY), you can write it yourself using our template for a draft consent agreement. Please click on the link below so you can be taken to the page where you will find a template. This will not cost a penny.

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR DRAFT CONSENT AGREEMENTS EXPLAINED (ALSO CALLED A DRAFT CONSENT ORDER OR AN INFORMAL AGREEMENT)

NOW THAT YOU HAVE YOUR DRAFT CONSENT AGREEMENT WHAT DO YOU DO?

You can both jointly send this draft consent agreement with form C100 (form used to start the court process of child arrangements) to your local family court who deal with child arrangements. 

Once the court receives your form C100 and your draft consent agreement, they will go through it, make sure it is fair and then approve your agreement into a legally binding document called a consent order (court order) with a court stamp, mandatory warnings and penal notices on it. 

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR FORM C100

LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR FIND YOUR LOCAL COURT 

WILL YOU BE ABLE TO COMPLETE FORM C100 YOURSELF? WILL YOU ALSO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE ANY OTHER COURT FORM YOU MAY NEED AND UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AS WELL?

Of course you can. This website will help you all the way through. Our L.I.P website will help you complete form C100 and any other form you need to send to the court for any other matter. 

Once you have read this webpage, you can click on the link above or below to access form C100 where it will go into detail how to complete it and where to send it. The topics covered are  – 

  • What is form C100 used for?
  • Are there any government or our own L.I.P Help Guides or write ups to help you complete form C100?
  • What is the fee to send form C100 to the court and how to pay for it?
  • How to complete form C100 and where to send it.
  • Where can you find form C100/download this form?
  • When was form C100 first published and last updated?

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE FOR FORM C100

WHAT IF THE COURT WANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR DRAFT CONSENT AGREEMENT?

If the court has any concerns or wants further information, they will either write to you or ask to see both you and your ex-partner at a court hearing to clarify issues they may have before they formalise your child arrangements agreement.

WHAT IF YOU AND YOUR EX-PARTNER START TO DISAGREE AND DECIDE TO LET THE COURT GET INVOLVED?

If this happens, please do not panic. Read our Help Guide to child arrangements by going through the court process. You will find detailed explanations on the whole court child arrangements process. There are detailed write ups on the forms you will need, links where to find them and other write ups on virtually every thing you could come across during your child arrangements.

LINK TO OUR L.I.P HELP GUIDE TO CHILD ARRANGEMENTS BY GOING THROUGH THE COURT PROCESS.