Children Act 1989: Primary legislation governing child arrangements in England and Wales. Key sections include: the welfare principle (Section 1), parental responsibility definitions (Sections 2-3), and child arrangement orders (Section 8). The Act establishes that the child's best interests are paramount in any decision.
Family Law Act 1996: Contains crucial provisions relating to cohabiting parents and domestic violence protections. Particularly relevant for custody agreements between unmarried parents.
Human Rights Act 1998: Article 8 specifically protects the right to respect for private and family life, which must be considered in custody arrangements.
Equality Act 2010: Ensures protection against discrimination in family arrangements and must be considered when drafting custody agreements to ensure fair treatment of all parties.
Child Abduction Act 1984: Particularly important for custody agreements where international elements exist or where there's potential for cross-border movement of children.
Children and Families Act 2014: Modernized family justice system including the introduction of child arrangement orders to replace previous residence and contact orders.
Family Procedure Rules 2010: Sets out the procedural requirements and framework for family arrangements in the courts of England and Wales.
CAFCASS Guidelines: Provides best practice guidance for child arrangements and safeguarding procedures in family cases, used by courts and practitioners.
