Types of children orders ======================== There are three main orders in children proceedings: child arrangements orders, specific issue orders, and prohibited steps orders. With any order made in relation to a child, the court's paramount consideration will be the child's welfare. The court will consider the welfare checklist under the Children Act 1989, which sets out the following factors it must consider when making a decision: 1. The ascertainable wishes and feelings of the child concerned (considered in the light of their age and understanding) 2. Their physical, emotional, and educational needs 3. The likely effect of any change in their circumstances 4. Their age, sex, background and any characteristics which the court considers relevant 5. Any harm which they have suffered or are at risk of suffering 6. How capable each of their parents, and any other person in relation to whom the court considers the question to be relevant, is of meeting their needs 7. The range of powers available to the court under this Act in the proceedings in question. Child Arrangements order ------------------------ A child arrangements order governs what people normally call "custody and access" or "residence and contact". Notably, the Family Court no longer uses the term 'custody', having updated its terminology to reflect the importance of both parents in a child's life. The court now provides child arrangements orders, which determine: - Where the child lives - How often the child spends time with each parent - How that time with the parent should look, e.g should it be supervised or take place indirectly (phone calls, for example) To learn more about child arrangements, read our guide here: [Vardags | Guide to Child Arrangements](https://vardags.com/law-guide/residence-of-child/guide-to-child-arrangements) specific issue order -------------------- A specific issue order may be necessary when parents disagree about an issue unrelated to contact. This could be a dispute about which school a child goes to, whether a child is circumcised, or what the child's surname should be. Applications for permission to live abroad are generally brought under this heading. prohibited steps order ---------------------- A prohibited steps order is an order which prevents a parent from taking a specific action in relation to the child. For example, the order may state that a parent cannot take the child out of the country, or that the child should not spend time with a specific relative or the parent's new partner. [BOOK FREE CONSULTATION](https://vardags.com/contact "BOOK FREE CONSULTATION") About Us -------- Ayesha VardagFounder & President "ROLLS ROYCE SERVICE FROM START TO FINISH" Vardags offer a unique approach to the law, specially tailored to the needs of HNW individuals. Our lawyers come from the very best universities and receive the very best training - they are determined, diligent, and dedicated to getting the best outcome... [read more](https://vardags.com/about-us) [BOOK FREE CONSULTATION](https://vardags.com/contact) Glossary Reference ------------------ ### Child arrangement order (CAO) An order setting out who a child should live with and how much time they should spend with the other parent. The information on this website is intended as a guide and does not constitute legal advice. Vardags do not accept liability for any errors in the information on this website, nor any losses stemming from reliance upon the statements made herein. All articles and pages aim to reflect the legal position at time they were published, and may have been rendered obsolete by subsequent developments in the law. Should you require specialist advice, tailored to your situation, please see how Vardags can help you. What our clients say -------------------- I always felt I was in the best hands, I highly recommend them! Alessandra Arrigoni Thanks to Emma and the team for the outstanding handling of my case. Throughout the months of my ongoing case I was kept informed and updated at all times never left wondering what was happening or where I stood. From meeting... Emma I felt instantly that my case was in good (understatement) hands, she has a friendly personal approach as well as so much expertise in the handling of family law cases. I feel so grateful to have had Emma and her team handle my case and for the outcome! Thank you! Emily Calvin Very comprehensive service with excellent in house expertise. They helped me achieve an outcome that was beyond my expectations. Paul Stringer Nicola and the team are the best support you could ask for at the most difficult of times. As well as being knowledgeable, forward thinking, organised and hard-working, she has empathy and goes above and beyond for her clients. C I hope you don't need it, but if you do, I would highly recommend Vardags. Xiao Ma I found myself in a position that I quite simply never dreamt I would be in in a million years. I went to Vardags, initially for advice. All my options were laid out in a very professional yet personal way. We decided to go down... a particular route and as my situation changed , so did the route that Vardags recommended. I had never felt so vulnerable in all my life and so it was very comforting to feel supported at all times. Anya Atkins OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM ------------------- [### Ayesha Vardag](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/ayesha-vardag "Ayesha Vardag Founder & President Divorce & Family") [### Stephen Bence](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/stephen-bence "Stephen Bence Vardags CEO") [### David Lister](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/david-lister "David Lister") [Founder & President](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/ayesha-vardag "Ayesha Vardag Founder & President Divorce & Family") [Chief Executive Officer](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/stephen-bence "Stephen Bence Vardags CEO") [Senior Partner and Head of London Family - Divorce & Family](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/david-lister "David Lister") [### Ayesha Vardag Founder & President ](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/ayesha-vardag "Ayesha Vardag Founder & President Divorce & Family")"Ayesha Vardag - Britain's top divorce lawyer." The Telegraph [### Stephen Bence Chief Executive Officer](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/stephen-bence "Stephen Bence Vardags CEO")"Dr Stephen Bence is a financial genius." Lewis Marks KC [### David Lister Senior Partner and Head of London Family - Divorce & Family ](https://vardags.com/solicitors/london/david-lister "David Lister")"Brilliant with a real spark which clients love" Legal 500 [Meet the rest of the team](https://vardags.com/team) [Vardags climbs ranks of UK's biggest firms in The Lawyer's UK 200](https://vardags.com/posts/vardags-london-climbs-ranks-of-uks-biggest-firms-in-the-lawyers-uk-200)