Wales, United Kingdom: family-law information
Family-law information for Wales, United Kingdom: children, divorce, finances, maintenance and safety, with official sources.
Official starting points for Wales
Check current requirements with the relevant authority before filing or changing an arrangement. General information, not legal advice.
- Child arrangements after separation (English and Welsh)
- Child arrangements application and Form C100
- Court application guide for child arrangements
- Cafcass Cymru information for parents and carers
- Divorce: official step-by-step guide
- Divorce application: online and paper options
- Money and property after separation
- Financial remedy forms collection
- Family Mediation Voucher Scheme
- Check whether legal aid may be available
- Current family court fees
- Help paying court fees
- Child Maintenance Service
- Live Fear Free: domestic abuse support
- Non-molestation and occupation order information
Urgent help in Wales
If someone is in immediate danger, call 999 when safe. Start with GOV.UK domestic-abuse support; in Wales, the Welsh Government also offers Live Fear Free contact options. Use a safe device or contact method.
Children and care arrangements
Start with the official child arrangements overview to identify questions about the child's care, existing arrangements and any order already in place. It separates care arrangements from child maintenance. A parent considering a court application can read the court-order guide and the current C100 information, then ask the court or an adviser about the order, application route, mediation information meeting and exemptions that apply. These sources do not establish that this family needs an application or that a particular form is right for them.
Divorce and separate decisions about children or money
Use the England and Wales divorce guide to understand its stages and check whether it covers the marriage and circumstances. The application information describes current document and online or paper options. Questions about children and a binding financial arrangement need their own attention: consult the child arrangements overview and money and property guidance, especially where an agreement, overseas issue, safety concern or existing case makes the route unclear. This guide does not choose a process or say that divorce itself settles those questions.
Money and property
The money and property guidance distinguishes an agreed financial order from asking a court to decide, and warns that the position differs where the couple was not married or in a civil partnership. List the assets, debts, housing and information that need checking, then get advice before relying on an agreement. The official financial remedy forms collection and legal-aid starting point are places to check process and help, not a basis for this page to select a form or decide eligibility. For any potential court cost, use the current family-court fee publication and help-with-fees service.
Mediation and legal help
The family mediation voucher information explains the scheme and the role of a mediator's assessment. A mediation information and assessment meeting and a mediation session are different things; the scheme does not establish suitability or funding for an individual case. If contemplating a relevant court application, check the current C100 information for meeting requirements and exemptions, and use the legal-aid starting point if help with advice may be needed. Tell a provider privately about safety concerns before agreeing to joint participation.
Child maintenance
The Child Maintenance Service overview explains the difference between private arrangements and a service arrangement. It is a starting point for questions about support, separate from where a child lives or whom the child sees. Where sharing an address or contacting the other parent could be unsafe, ask the service about privacy and safe options before providing details. This page does not calculate an amount.
Protection and immediate help
If someone is in immediate danger, call 999 when safe to do so. GOV.UK domestic-abuse support lists help by nation; people in Wales can also use the Welsh Government's Live Fear Free contact options. The court's non-molestation and occupation order information explains possible protection routes. Ask a specialist service or adviser how to seek help safely; this page gives no filing, service or contact instruction.