At Jordan Williams Law Ltd., Sarah Jordan and David Williams can advise you about the options available relating to child arrangements orders and the other orders available.

Disagreements regarding where children live and how often they see a parent who does not live with them can be distressing and emotional. Jordan Williams Law Ltd specialist family solicitors and lawyers in Poole, Bournemouth, Corfe Mullen, Ferndown, Wimborne and Dorset, have experience of dealing with children matters in a sensitive, caring and professional way.

When parents find it difficult to talk to each other about arrangements for their children, it can be useful to have a mediator involved to help parents try to reach an agreement without the need for an application to the court. If mediation is unsuccessful then it might be necessary to arbitrait or apply to the court for one of the following orders under the Children Act 1989. For more alternatives to court click here.

Child Arrangements Order:

This was formerly known as residence and contact which in turn had replaced custody and access. For more information click here.

Parental Responsibility:

Formerly known as care and control, is shared jointly between all married parents even after a divorce until the children reach 18. Unmarried fathers can get parental responsibility by agreement with the mother of the children, or by a court order, or if the father’s name is on the birth certificate of the children since 2003.

The court can also make two other types of order:

A Prohibited Steps Order:

This limits certain parental rights and duties, for example it can be used to can prevent a parent from seeing a child.

A Specific Issue Order:

This can can be used to resolve a particular issue which is in dispute. For example a specific issue order can be used when there are disputes about a child’s education or whether a child to be taken abroad.