Help - Child Arrangement Order

[Anxious2772]

My ex and I have had an informal arrangement over our child for some time, recently I've had to seek advice from a solicitor as the divorce process has started and the solicitor advised that the current child arrangements are disruptive and should be reconsidered.

As such I told my ex that rather than pick the child up at 7pm on a Friday as per previous arrangements he could pick up after swimming on Saturday morning because picking her up that late (she is 5) isn't acceptable really.

Today he threatend that if I don't agree to maintain the original (informal) agreement that his solicitor will file for an interim child arrangement order on an urgent basis on Thursday which will enforce the original (informal) arrangement.

Can he really do this? Everything I read says urgent is for welfare or abduction issues only and any CAO must legally be preceeded by mediation (MAIM)

Any advise welcome.

Thanks!!

It all really depends on how 'reasonable' or 'unreasonable' the current arrangement is.
A pick up at 7pm Friday for a Weekend visit ending Sunday night or Monday school drop off is completely reasonable . Every other weekend. With an evening in the week. Pretty standard really. If it's weekly then you may have room for manoeuvre with a move to Saturday one week in two. However with more and more Judges starting at 50/50 it may be wise to leave things as they are.
I'm slightly confused as to why 7pm is too late ? What are your lawyers reasons for saying this. ?

Could your ex pick up earlier on Friday?

Can't pick up earlier as works in London and dictated by trains. Already pretty much has 50/50 time with her and I have been very accomodating with any adjustments needed in the past, my girl needs her sleep and is always old cold by 7.45 which by the time he gets home gives her about 20 minutes up with him. Saturday morning she goes to lessons so ultimately he would be losing about 2-3 (max) waking hours with her.

So he gets her home in time to pop her to bed? Don't see a problem there. It sounds to me as if your solicitor has seriously overreacted. We're you happy before the solicitor told you it was wrong?