Children Act 1989: Primary legislation governing child arrangements in England and Wales. Key sections include Section 1 (Welfare of the child principle), Section 8 (Child arrangement orders), and Section 3 (Parental responsibility)
Family Law Act 1996: Legislation containing key provisions relating to domestic arrangements and child protection measures
Child Abduction Act 1984: Critical legislation for international summer custody arrangements and prevention of child abduction
Human Rights Act 1998: Particularly Article 8 regarding the right to family life, which must be considered in custody arrangements
Matrimonial Causes Act 1973: Relevant for summer custody arrangements where parents are divorced
CAFCASS Guidelines: Guidelines from the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service for handling child arrangement matters
Best Interests Principle: Fundamental legal principle requiring all decisions to be made in the best interests of the child
Contact Arrangements: Specific requirements for detailing pickup/dropoff times, locations, and scheduling during summer custody period
Travel Provisions: Requirements for documenting international travel arrangements, passport handling, and consent procedures
Emergency Protocols: Legal requirements for establishing emergency contact procedures and medical decision-making authority during custody period
Dispute Resolution: Legal framework for handling disagreements and modifications to the custody arrangement
Family Court Practice Directions: Procedural guidelines issued by the Family Court that affect how custody arrangements should be structured and documented
