Any person who the child has lived with for a period of at least three of the last five years can apply for a Residence or a Contact Order.

Who can apply for the court orders?

• A parent, guardian or special guardian of the child;
• A step-parent with parental responsibility;
• Any person with a residence order.

or

• Any person who has obtained the permission of the court to make the application.

In particular, for a Residence or a Contact Order, the following people can apply:

• Any party to a marriage (whether or not it still exists) in relation to whom the child is a child of the family;
• Any civil partner in a civil partnership where the child is a child of the family;
• Any person who the child has lived with for a period of at least three of the last five years.

If you need the court's permission you must complete a separate form asking the court to allow you to bring the application.

Read more about:

• Children Law
• Orders the court can make
• Parental responsibility
• Who has parental responsibility?
• Moving abroad with your child
• Child abduction

Watch Tony Roe talking about Cohabitation/ Living Together and Adoption issues whilst at his previous firm.