Children - the law relating to children
This section provides free legal information relating to children, including the numerous different court orders that can be applied, including:
child arrangements orders - these have replaced both residence orders and contact orders.
prohibited steps orders - to prevent a parent taking a child or children from the other parent.
search & find and disclosure orders - an order to return a child to their home.
specific issue orders - this order is made by a court where the parents cannot agree regarding a very specific issue, for example the school their child should attend.
parental responsibility orders - this gives a parent the right to be involved in important decisions regarding their child, where their child does not live with them.
care & supervision orders - this relates to a child potentially being taken into care by social services.
CompactLaw also provides information on how to apply for an order.
It is very important to stress that when making any order a court will consider the welfare of the child or children concerned to be paramount. The court will only act in their interests, and not those of the parents.
A court can also decide that a child should be personally represented in a case, to ensure that any order or arrangement made, is one the child actually wants, please see the section The Children's Voice