How Many Hearings Will there be in Child Proceedings?

What Happens at Child Court Hearings?

First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment

A First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA) will likely be the first hearing you attend if you’ve applied for a Court Order involving your child , unless a more urgent hearing is needed. There are several different types of Court Orders that you can apply for involving children, but the three main ones are:

• Child Arrangement Order
• Prohibited Steps Order
• Specific Issue Order

Our Child Law Solicitors can advise you on which Court Order you should apply for if you can’t reach an agreement with the other parent about your child.

The Court will use the First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment to look at the issues and why you can’t agree. At this hearing, the Court will work with you to resolve these issues. The Judge might ask a Cafcass Officer to act as your child’s ‘voice’ in the Court and make recommendations towards the best outcome.

If you and your former partner reach an agreement at this first hearing, then the Judge might make a Final Order. This will outline and put in place the decisions that have been made.

If you can’t agree at this hearing, the Court will decide what evidence is needed at the next hearing to agree what would be in the child’s best interests. This might be another Dispute Resolutions Hearing or a Final Hearing.

The Court could also recommend that both parents attend a Separated Parents Information Programme, if they haven’t already, to try to settle any disputes. 

Fact Finding Hearing

A Fact Finding Hearing will only take place if there have been serious allegations made by either parent. This kind of hearing might be necessary if there has been domestic abuse. A Fact Finding Hearing lets the Court look at all the evidence to work out if any allegations that have been made are true. 

There needs to be a lot of preparation before a Fact Finding Hearing, so you should get legal advice from one of our Child Law Solicitors to help you with this.

Dispute Resolution Appointment Hearing

If you and your child’s other parent can’t agree at the FHDRA, the Court will ask you to attend a Dispute Resolution Appointment (DRA). A DRA hearing is for the Court consider any statement or reports that have been filed.

It allows the Court a chance to narrow the issues between both parents, with the help of the Judge. If agreement cannot be reached any issues can be dealt with before the case goes to a Final Hearing.

Final Hearing

At the Final Hearing, the Court looks at all the evidence in the case to reach to a final decision. The Judge will likely put a Child Arrangement Order, or another child Court Order in place. Although if everyone can agree, a Court Order won’t be needed.

The Court will always put the best interests of your child first. It’s difficult to do sometimes, but try to always put your child’s welfare before your personal disputes.

Speak to a Child Law Solicitor

Our Family and Child Law Solicitors understand that it’s not always easy to agree on child arrangements with a former partner.

We’ll help to reduce conflict and get the best possible outcome for you and your child as soon as possible. Court proceedings shouldn’t affect your child’s life for any longer than they need to.

Our Child Law Solicitors will work with you and your former partner to take the emotion out of the process and come to an agreement that works best for your family.