Child Arrangements Order

What Is a Child Arrangements Order?

A Child Arrangements Order is made by the family court.  It explains where a child will live and who they will spend time with.  It also says how often this contact should happen.

Parental Responsibility

With a Child Arrangements Order you have day‑to‑day parental responsibility.  This means you can make most decisions for the child.

Birth parents keep their parental responsibility.  They must agree to all the big decisions.  These include: 

  • Non‑urgent medical treatment.
  • Choosing a school.
  • Taking the child abroad for more than 28 days.
Couple with toddler and baby

Who Can Apply

You can apply for a Child Arrangements Order if:

  • You are a close relative, and the child lives with you.  They have lived with you for one year or more.
  • You have been the child’s foster carer for more than one year.
  • You have been privately fostering the child for over three years.
  • Everyone with parental responsibility agrees.

For children in care, the council must agree. 

If the child is not in care, everyone with parental responsibility must agree.  This includes anyone with a Residence or Child Arrangements Order.

Find out more about the assessment process here.

Worth Knowing

Child Arrangements Orders are not just for kinship carers.  The court can make a Child Arrangements Order for a birth parent or step‑parent.

Once this Order is made, the child is no longer a 'child in care'.

Next page: Special Guardianship Orders

Understanding Kinship Care
Information from https://childrenandfamiliesnewcastle.org.uk/
Printed on September 30th 2026
Page last updated
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