Child Contact Solicitors in London
Can’t see your child, or contact has broken down? Our family solicitors help you agree arrangements or apply to court. Call 0207 100 2525. Free consultations by phone, Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype.
Child contact solicitors help a parent, grandparent or other family member spend time with a child after a separation, by agreement, through mediation or, if that fails, by applying to the family court for a child arrangements order. At Adam Bernard Solicitors, our family law team in High Holborn and Upton Park advises on contact disputes, supervised contact, residence (who a child lives with) and enforcing court orders that are not being followed.
If you have not seen your child for weeks, or the other parent keeps cancelling arrangements, early legal advice can stop a temporary gap becoming a long one. Call 0207 100 2525 or book a free consultation.
What does "contact" mean in family law?
In family law, “contact” means the time a child spends with a parent or another important person they do not live with. “Residence” means who the child lives with. The court’s focus is always the child’s welfare, not either parent’s rights.
Contact can take several forms:
- Direct contact: face-to-face time, such as weekends, after-school visits or holidays
- Overnight (staying) contact: the child stays with the other parent
- Supervised contact: visits observed by a trusted third party or at a child contact centre, usually where there are safety concerns
- Supported contact: contact at a centre where staff are present but don’t closely observe
- Indirect contact: phone calls, video calls, letters, cards or gifts
Contact and residence orders are now "child arrangements orders"
Since 22 April 2014, contact orders and residence orders no longer exist in England and Wales. Both were replaced by a single child arrangements order under section 8 of the Children Act 1989. This change was made by the Children and Families Act 2014.
| Old term | Current term |
|---|---|
| Contact order | Child arrangements order: who the child spends time with or otherwise has contact with |
| Residence order | Child arrangements order: who the child lives with |
| Shared residence | Child arrangements order: child lives with both parents |
Some people, and some older court papers, still use the old names. They mean the same thing. For a full guide to the order itself, including changing an existing order and relocation, see our child arrangement solicitors page.
When do you need a child contact solicitor?
Our solicitors are most often instructed when:
- the other parent has stopped or is restricting contact with no good reason
- contact keeps being cancelled, or the other parent sets conditions on it
- you and your ex-partner cannot agree who the child should live with
- there are safeguarding concerns, such as domestic abuse, substance misuse or a risk of abduction, and contact needs to be supervised or stopped
- a court order is being ignored and you need to enforce it
- a grandparent or other relative has lost contact and needs the court’s permission to apply
- the other parent wants to move away, within the UK or abroad (see child relocation)
How do I get contact with my child?
Most parents should first try to agree arrangements directly or through mediation. If that fails, they can apply to the family court on form C100 for a child arrangements order. The court fee is £270. According to GOV.UK, the court process usually takes around 10 months.
Step 1: Try to agree a parenting plan
Many families agree arrangements without court. GOV.UK has guidance on how to make a child arrangements plan. A solicitor can help draft one or negotiate it for you.
Step 2: Attend a MIAM (mediation information meeting)
Before applying to court you must usually attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM). Eligible families can get a mediation voucher worth up to £500. There are exemptions, including evidence of domestic abuse, a risk of harm to the child, urgency, or a MIAM in the last four months.
Step 3: Apply to court on form C100
The application is made online or on form C100. It sets out who is involved and what order you are asking for. The fee is £270. If you are on a low income or certain benefits, you may be able to get help with court fees.
Step 4: Cafcass safeguarding checks
Cafcass carries out police and local authority checks and speaks to each parent by phone. It then sends the court a safeguarding letter before the first hearing.
Step 5: First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA)
At the FHDRA the judge or magistrates try to help you reach agreement. If you can’t agree, the court sets out the issues and gives directions, for example for witness statements, a section 7 welfare report, or a fact-finding hearing where allegations of abuse are disputed.
Step 6: Dispute Resolution Appointment and final hearing
Many cases settle at the Dispute Resolution Appointment. If they don’t, there is a final hearing where the court hears the evidence and decides.
For a stage-by-stage timeline, read our guide: how long does a child arrangement order take?
Will I see my child before the final hearing?
Not always straight away, but the court can make an interim order for contact while the case continues, if it is safe and in the child’s best interests. Interim contact often starts gradually, for example with video calls or supervised visits, and builds up to unsupervised and overnight contact. A solicitor can ask for interim contact at the first hearing so a long gap doesn’t settle into the status quo.
What is Cafcass and what does it do?
Cafcass (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) is the body that represents children’s interests in family court cases in England. In child contact cases it:
- carries out safeguarding checks and writes a safeguarding letter before the FHDRA
- may be ordered to prepare a section 7 report, which can include interviews with each parent and the child’s wishes and feelings
- makes recommendations to the court about what arrangements are in the child’s best interests
The court is not bound by Cafcass’s recommendations, but it gives them significant weight.
How does the court decide child contact?
The child’s welfare is the court’s paramount consideration under section 1(1) of the Children Act 1989. In a contested case the court applies the welfare checklist in section 1(3), which covers:
- the child’s wishes and feelings, in light of their age and understanding
- their physical, emotional and educational needs
- the likely effect on them of any change in circumstances
- their age, sex, background and any relevant characteristics
- any harm they have suffered or are at risk of suffering
- how capable each parent (and anyone else relevant) is of meeting their needs
- the range of powers available to the court
The court must also avoid delay. It will only make an order if that is better for the child than making no order at all.
Presumption of parental involvement: proposed change. At present, section 1(2A) requires the court to presume that each parent’s involvement benefits the child, unless there is evidence otherwise. The government plans to repeal this presumption through the Courts and Tribunals Bill, which is still going through Parliament. Until it is passed and in force, the presumption still applies.
For a more detailed look at the factors, read how courts decide child contact.
Contact where there are safety concerns
Where domestic abuse is alleged, the court must follow Practice Direction 12J and will only order contact if it is safe for the child and the parent they live with. The court may:
- hold a fact-finding hearing to decide disputed allegations
- order supervised contact, indirect contact only, or no contact
- make a prohibited steps order to stop a parent taking a particular action, such as removing the child from school or from the UK
Under the Victims and Courts Act 2026, the Crown Court will have to restrict the parental responsibility of a parent sentenced to four years or more for a serious sexual offence against a child, and of a parent convicted of rape where the child was conceived as a result. These provisions are not yet in force.
We act for parents raising safeguarding concerns and for parents responding to allegations. We approach both sensitively and handle them in confidence.
Who can apply for contact with a child?
A parent, guardian, special guardian, or a step-parent with parental responsibility can apply for a child arrangements order as of right. Other people, including grandparents, usually need the court’s permission first. Under section 10 of the Children Act 1989, the following can apply without permission:
- any parent, guardian or special guardian of the child
- a step-parent or civil partner with parental responsibility
- anyone already named in a child arrangements order as a person the child lives with
- a spouse or civil partner for whom the child is a “child of the family”
- anyone the child has lived with for at least three years
- anyone with the consent of everyone who has parental responsibility
Grandparents, aunts, uncles and other relatives apply for permission (leave) first. The court looks at their connection with the child and whether the application could disrupt the child’s life.
Does parental responsibility give me a right to contact?
No. Parental responsibility (PR) gives you the legal rights and duties to make major decisions about a child’s upbringing, such as schooling, medical treatment and religion. It does not automatically give you a right to contact. Contact is decided by agreement or by the court, based on the child’s welfare.
Under section 2 of the Children Act 1989:
- mothers automatically have PR
- fathers married to the mother at the birth have PR
- unmarried fathers have PR if they are named on a birth certificate registered after 1 December 2003, or through a PR agreement or court order
- step-parents can get PR by agreement or court order
What if the other parent breaks a contact order?
If a child arrangements order is not followed without a good reason, you can apply to enforce it on form C79. The fee is £270. The court can:
- make an enforcement order requiring the parent to do 40–200 hours of unpaid work
- order compensation for financial loss, such as a cancelled holiday
- change the arrangements, including who the child lives with, in serious or repeated cases
- refer the parents to a separated parents’ course or activity
How long does a contact order last?
An order about who a child spends time with normally ends when the child turns 16, unless the court finds exceptional circumstances. An order about who a child lives with can last until the child turns 18. This is set out in section 9 of the Children Act 1989. Either parent can apply to vary or discharge an order if circumstances change.
Why choose Adam Bernard Solicitors for child contact?
- SRA-regulated family solicitors with offices in High Holborn (Central London) and Upton Park (East London)
- Free initial consultation in person, by phone, or by video on Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype
- 15 years in practice and more than 15,000 clients served across our departments
- Experience across negotiation, mediation, MIAM exemptions, C100 applications, fact-finding hearings and enforcement
- Clear, upfront pricing. See our family department fees
We also advise on related family matters, including divorce, divorce and finances and our wider family law services.
Speak to a child contact solicitor today: call 0207 100 2525 (24/7) or book a free consultation.
This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Please contact us for advice on your circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get contact with my child if the other parent is refusing?
Do I need a solicitor for child contact proceedings?
Can grandparents apply for contact with a grandchild?
What is the difference between contact and residence?
What does the court consider in contact proceedings?
How much does it cost to apply for a contact order?
Can a contact order be enforced if it's ignored?
At what age can a child decide which parent to see?
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