Henry Pargeter represents respondent father in child arrangements proceedings

The father sought orders that the children continue to live with him and that their mother have indirect contact. The mother accepted that the children should remain living with their father.

However, she sought orders progressing from indirect to direct contact, as well as a prohibited steps order preventing the father from removing the children from England.

Background to the proceedings

The parties separated in 2019 and have 5 children. During the relationship, the mother experienced significant mental health difficulties, and the father took on a substantial caring role for the children and supported the mother.

Following separation, the mother continued to have supervised contact with the children.

Subsequently she made a number of allegations against the father, including allegations of domestic abuse, neglect, and rape. These allegations were investigated, including by relevant safeguarding agencies, with no safeguarding concerns identified about the father’s care of the children.

Findings

Following a final hearing, the judge ordered that the 2 children should continue to live with their father.

The mother was granted indirect contact, and her application for a prohibited steps order was unsuccessful.

The judge also made a s.91(4) order barring the mother from making further applications without the permission of the court for the next 3 years.

The court made findings that:

• the allegations of rape made against the father were false
• the mother had treated the father and the children abusively, physically, verbally and emotionally on multiple occasions
• the mother’s behaviour had exposed 1 of the children to a significant safeguarding risk
• following the separation, the mother had engaged in malicious communications with the police, local authority, schools and NSPCC to destabilise the father as the children's primary carer.

Read the judgment in full in A & B (Children), Re [2026] EWFC 57 (B) (03 March 2026)