Responding to a Child Arrangements Application — What To Do If You Get Court Papers

Last reviewed: 31 August 2026. Informational only — not legal advice.

You've been served with a C100 — don't panic

If you receive a C100 application and an Acknowledgment form (C7), the other parent (or another person) has asked the family court to decide arrangements for your child. Being a respondent does not mean the court assumes anything against you — it means the court will now help decide the dispute, and your input matters enormously.

Your immediate steps (in order)

1. Read every page, including the applicant's reasons and what they are asking for. 2. Check the first hearing date on the Notice of Hearing — you must attend; the court can proceed without you and may make orders in your absence. 3. Contact Cafcass. They will call you before the first hearing for a safeguarding conversation. Make yourself contactable — non-engagement looks bad and gets noted. 4. Complete form C7 (Acknowledgment) and send it to the court (and copy the applicant or their solicitor). Say whether you agree or disagree with the application and whether you want to make your own application. 5. Keep a record — start a simple chronological log of events, texts, and dates now. You will need it for your statements.

Do I need a solicitor?

Most respondents in the family court are self-representing ("litigants in person"). A fixed-fee consultation with a family solicitor can still be worth it to review your response. Free help:

Family Court Support Volunteers / Support Through Court — free guidance, not representation.
Family Mediation — even after an application, mediation can settle part or all of the case.
LawWorks / pro bono clinics — means-tested.

See the legal aid guide — legal aid remains available for respondents where domestic abuse is alleged.

Preparing for the first hearing (FHDRA)

The First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment is not a trial. The judge and Cafcass officer want to narrow issues and encourage agreement. Prepare:

A short written position: what arrangements you say are best and why (child-focused, not grievance-focused).
Your diary showing realistic availability.
Any safeguarding concerns documented factually (dates, reports, police references).
Proposals for interim arrangements until the case concludes.

Safeguarding conversations with Cafcass

Cafcass speaks to both parties, runs police and local-authority checks, and files a safeguarding letter before the hearing. Be honest and factual. If you have concerns about the other parent, raise them — but with specifics, not suspicions. The safeguarding letter's recommendations carry real weight, so take the call seriously.

If you agree with the application

Say so on form C7. The hearing will be short and the court can make an order by consent. Agreeing to sensible arrangements is not "losing" — contested cases take 6–12 months and hurt everyone, especially children.

If you want different arrangements

You can:

Respond to theirs and ask the court for arrangements you prefer, or
Make a cross-application (your own C100, usually decided at the same hearings).

Raise this at the first hearing; the judge will set directions covering both.

Common mistakes to avoid

Missing the hearing date or the safeguarding call.
Venting in your written response — courts read everything and emotional outbursts damage credibility.
Withholding the child "because they applied" — this looks like self-help and can backfire badly.
Refusing to engage with mediation or the Planning Together for Children course.
Making the case about your ex instead of the child. Every sentence should connect to the child's needs.

Related guides

Sources: Children Act 1989; Family Procedure Rules 2010 Part 12; Cafcass guidance. Procedures change — check GOV.UK and current court directions.