Interim child arrangements — safe temporary arrangements while the case proceeds

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-30

Family cases take months. Children, however, live in the present — and the court can make interim child arrangements orders that fix where a child lives and who they spend time with while the case is ongoing. This guide explains how interim decisions are made and what they mean. It is general information, not legal advice.

Why interim orders exist

The no order principle and the welfare checklist apply to interim decisions too — but with a shorter horizon: the question is what arrangements best serve the child until the final hearing, not forever
Interim orders stop cases becoming stalemates where a parent simply withholds the child until trial
They also freeze the status quo where that status quo is working

What the court can do at an interim stage

Make an interim child arrangements order — regulating living arrangements and time with each parent for the interim period
Order supported or supervised contact pending findings on any allegations
Make interim prohibited steps orders — for example preventing removal of the child from a parent's care or from the jurisdiction
Give participation directions (special measures) where abuse is alleged
Direct Cafcass work: safeguarding letters, section 7 reports, or risk assessments (s.16A where harm is suspected)
Order that contact be indirect (letters, video calls) where face-to-face isn't yet safe

The key principles at interim stage

1. Interim safety first: where allegations of harm are made, PD12J requires the court to design interim arrangements that don't put the child (or the other parent) at risk pending fact-finding 2. No presumption of automatic contact: where abuse is alleged but not yet determined, the court should not simply order unsupervised contact as if nothing had been alleged 3. But no automatic cessation either: unsupported and untested allegations don't justify severing a child's relationship with a parent — hence the use of supported contact centres for interim rebuilding 4. Stability matters: courts try not to uproot established arrangements without clear reason — the "settled status quo" often continues 5. Interim findings are provisional: nothing decided interim is final; the final hearing decides on the full picture

How to seek interim arrangements

1. In your C100, tick the interim order box and set out what you seek 2. In a live case, apply on form C79/C2 as directed, or raise it at the next hearing 3. Support the application with a short statement — the child's current arrangements, what's changed or gone wrong, what you propose 4. For urgent interim protection (risk of removal or harm), ask for a without notice interim order with the reasons why notice would be dangerous

If the other parent isn't complying with an interim order

Keep a record of every missed or obstructed contact — dates, what happened
Raise it at the next hearing in your position statement
The court can tighten the order (defined times, collection points, handover via a family member or centre), order a family assistance-style short intervention, or warn about the consequences of breach — interim orders have the same legal force as final ones
Persistent breach can found enforcement applications once the order is defined and served

Practical notes

Interim contact centres (like those run by child contact charities) give a safe, neutral venue for early contact — ask Cafcass or the court about local centres
Handover logistics cause more interim conflict than contact itself — propose neutral handover points, school-run handovers, or a third-party handover in your position statement
Keep the interim period child-shaped: judges respond to parents who preserve routines (school, clubs, friendships) and speak respectfully of the other parent
Interim orders end when the final order is made — plan for the transition rather than treating interim wins as the outcome

Official links

YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory — we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to HMCTS, Cafcass, or gov.uk. This page is general information and is not legal advice.

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.