What are Child Arrangements?

Do you understand what child arrangements are?

Our Pauline O’Rourke answers some commonly asked questions regarding contact, residence and child arrangements.

Quite often I am asked  “I want custody of my child” or “I want visitation rights” or quite simply “I want to see my child”. Getting the terminology right helps to understand what exactly are the rights of children and parents and how best to get the outcome you want.

The terms ‘custody’ and ‘access’ are no longer used and now we refer to residence and contact arrangements. In court proceedings an order is called a Child Arrangements Order  and this can include what time each parent shall share with the child or who the child shall live with and how much time the child shall spend with the other parent. Neither parent has a different label and no longer do we adopt battles and fights over custody and access.

If the parents