Family court & support in Scarborough
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29
Which court serves you
Most family cases for Scarborough and the surrounding district are heard locally at the Scarborough Justice Centre (Scarborough Law Courts), The Law Courts, Northway, Scarborough, North Yorkshire YO12 7AE — confirmed on gov.uk's Find a Court or Tribunal (https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/search?q=scarborough). Court open Mon–Fri 9am–4pm; counter service is by appointment only (10am–2pm, emergency applications outside those times). HMCTS National Contact Centre: 0300 123 5577 (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm); Divorce Contact Centre 0300 303 0642; family public law 0330 808 4424. Some complex or multi-party family matters are listed at the York County Court and Family Court, Piccadilly House, 55 Piccadilly, York YO1 9WL (location code 386) — see the York County Court and Family Court guide.
Citizens Advice
- North Yorkshire Citizens Advice & Law Centre (NYCALC) — Scarborough office. Free Adviceline: 0808 278 7900 (Mon–Fri 9am–4:30pm); drop-in advice Mon, Tue & Thu 9:30am–12:30pm — check current arrangements first: cany.org.uk/contact/visit-us/visit-us-in-scarborough
- National Adviceline: 0808 223 1133 — see our Citizens Advice national page and our Citizens Advice Yorkshire page.
Mediation & your MIAM
Before most applications you must consider a MIAM. Search the FMC register for mediators covering Scarborough and North Yorkshire: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/find-local-mediator/ — see our Yorkshire & North East mediation page and 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
- IDAS (Independent Domestic Abuse Services) — North Yorkshire 24/7 helpline 0808 508 2214 (chat online at idas.org.uk) — see our Yorkshire & North East DA support page.
- On a shared phone? Use safe devices (library, Citizens Advice office, friend's phone).
Children's services
North Yorkshire Council children's services — contact the Customer Resolution Centre on 0300 131 2 131 if you are worried a child is at risk of significant harm; the same number reaches the out-of-hours Emergency Duty Team. Urgent concerns can be routed through gov.uk's postcode lookup: https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse. See our children's services Yorkshire & North East page. Cafcass covers Scarborough in its Yorkshire and Humber region — national enquiries 0300 456 4000; see our Cafcass Yorkshire and Humber page.
Getting there
The Law Courts sit on Northway (YO12 7AE), a short walk from Scarborough rail station and from town-centre bus stops; paid parking is available nearby but fills early on sitting days. Arrive well before your listed time — security takes longer than most people expect on a first visit. Video-hearing and hearing-enhancement facilities are available (book adjustments in advance with the court).
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS, gov.uk or North Yorkshire Council.
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.