What is a typical child contact arrangement?

What is a child contact arrangement?

In short, child contact arrangements dictate where and when the non-resident parent will see and have contact with their child. 

Many parents will be able to discuss and decide between themselves without the need for court involvement, but sometimes this is not possible and it may be necessary for the issues to be discussed at Mediation or as a last resort, for the court to become involved in the arrangement of child contact between parents.

What are typical child contact arrangements that are commonly used?

It is hard to pinpoint a typical arrangement as each one varies depending on individual family circumstances and the needs of the child(ren) in question. 

Usually, following a divorce or separation, the child(ren) will live with one parent and the other parent (non-resident parent) will then need to try and reach an agreement as to the terms of the child contact arrangement. 

The contact times can vary from as little as a few hours, or a few days, or sometimes even weeks at a time. Many children end up staying overnight with their non-resident parent on a regular basis whilst others will see their child(ren) for shorter periods of time in a day or have regular weekend contact. 

As you can see, there really isn’t a typically child contact arrangement as it must be what works best for both parents and more importantly the child(ren) involved.

Let us help you today

Contact our family law specialists and they can help you with arranging your child contact plan to get the best possible outcome for you and your child(ren). We can also help and advise you on making any applications to the family court in regard to child contact arrangements if you are unable to agree a plan with the other parent.