Family court & support in Chatham / Medway
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29
Which court serves you
Family cases for the Medway Towns (Chatham, Rochester, Gillingham, Rainham — the Medway unitary area) are heard at:
- Medway County Court and Family Court, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham ME4 4AR — the local family venue (phonenational 0300 123 5577; divorce 0300 303 0642). Our Gravesend hub also routes here.
- Some Kent listings route to Maidstone (see our Maidstone guide) and Canterbury for complex matters.
Always follow the venue on your notice of hearing.
Citizens Advice
- Citizens Advice Medway — local office (01634 383 760) with Gillingham outreach (Twydall Library / St Augustine's); phone for appointment details
- National Adviceline: 0800 144 8848
Mediation & your MIAM
Before most applications you must consider a MIAM. Search the FMC register for mediators covering the Medway/Kent area — see our mediation guide for costs (£500 voucher, ~£120 MIAM, legal aid).
Domestic abuse support
- Refuge National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (24/7) · emergency 999
- Kent-area services via the Women's Aid directory: womensaid.org.uk
- See our Home Counties DA support page
Children's services
Medway Council children's services (Medway is a unitary authority) — contact routes via https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse.
Getting there
Chatham station is close to the Medway court at Gun Wharf; the Dock Road area is walkable/ short bus from the station. See the Medway/Gillingham page and court access details.
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or gov.uk.
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.