I'd really like to hear people's experiences and opinions on this as I really don't know what to do.
I divorced ex-h 5 years ago, but we didn't need a child arrangement order, mainly as the children were young, he worked long hours, so children were mainly with me, we split the school holidays between us and everything worked fine.
He is a very difficult person, and there were daily dramas and stresses, but on the whole it didn't seem worth the horror of going through court. Particularly as I was scared that I might end up having less time with my children.
Now in the intervening years I have a non-mol against him due to continual harassment. I am moving to another town reasonably nearby, but he won't agree to the children changing schools.
My solicitor said I should get child arrangement order, and include the school issue into that. But having read up on it all, it sounds horrific. The fact that social services get involved, and due to my children's ages they would be spoken to too, which would upset them - particularly at the thought of taking sides.
I'm moving 40miles away, so no chance of keeping existing schools. We currently live in London and rent, ex has absolutely no ties to the area, so no overwhelming reason to make the children stay there- in fact many more negatives than positives for staying there.
We've tried mediation to discuss the issue, but it was a waste of time and money- as it has been when we've done it in the past too.
I guess I'm hoping some of you will say going for a child arrangement order is not that bad after all