What is a Child Arrangement Order?

A Child Arrangement Order is a single order dealing with the arrangements as to ‘with whom a child is to live, spend time or otherwise have contact’

Why have Contact and Residence Orders been replaced by the Child Arrangement Order?

The underlying principle is “to move away from loaded terms such as residence and contact which have themselves become a source of contention between parents, to bring greater focus on practical issues of the day to day care of the child.” [Family Justice Review].

The policy aim of the new Child Arrangement Order is to place focus on the content of the order, rather than on its name.   It is intended to focus parents’ minds on resolving what is important, the arrangements for the child, and not entering into protracted disputes over the title of the order they seek.

What will the be the effect of this change?

Some critics question whether this is anything more than a change of terminology.  Unfortunately whether or not this is true will only become clear once the Courts are put in a position of making such Orders. It very much remains yet to be seen whether the new Child Arrangement Order will be any different to the old Contact and Residence Orders in anything but name.

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