Request Child Contact Letter: Free Template and What to Include

If you need to formally request contact with your child from the other parent, a written letter is the recommended first step — it creates a clear record and shows you're pursuing the matter formally. Below is what a strong request child contact should include.

What this letter needs to cover

• Identify the children involved
• Set out the proposed contact schedule including regular contact
• Holidays and special occasions
• Reference the welfare principle under section 1 of the Children Act 1989 and the presumption of parental involvement
• Propose mediation through a family mediator before any court application
• Request a written response within a reasonable timeframe

Setting out a contact request clearly

If informal arrangements for seeing your child have broken down, a clear written request creates a record of your efforts to maintain contact and can support a court application later if things don't improve. Courts generally expect parents to have genuinely tried to resolve contact issues directly, and where appropriate through mediation, before applying for a Child Arrangements Order.

What to include before you send it

• A clear, reasonable proposal for contact — specific days, times, or a pattern you're suggesting
• Acknowledgement of the child's routine and needs, showing your proposal is genuinely child-focused
• A request for a response within a reasonable timeframe
• An openness to discussing alternative arrangements if your specific proposal doesn't work

Keeping the focus on the child throughout

Courts and mediators respond far better to requests framed around the child's welfare and relationship with both parents than to requests that focus on parental grievances. Keeping this letter calm, reasonable, and child-centred strengthens your position considerably if the matter needs to escalate later.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if the other parent ignores this letter completely?
Family mediation is generally the next step before a court application, and in most cases you're required to attempt this (via a MIAM — Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting) before applying to court.

Can grandparents or other family members use this approach too?
Yes, similar principles apply, though grandparents and others without parental responsibility may need to seek permission from the court before applying for a Child Arrangements Order themselves.

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[Your Postcode]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Name]
[Address]
[Postcode]
[Date]

Dear [Name],

Subject: Contact arrangements for [Child's Name(s)]

I would like us to agree a regular schedule for me to spend time with our [child / children], [Name(s)].

Under section 1 of the Children Act 1989, the child's welfare comes first, and the law presumes that involvement of both parents is good for a child unless there is evidence otherwise. I believe a regular routine with both of us is best for [Child's Name].

My suggestion:
• Alternate weekends: [e.g. Friday 5pm] to [e.g. Sunday 6pm].
• Midweek: every [day], [time] to [time].
• Holidays and special occasions: [e.g. half of each school holiday, and alternating birthdays and Christmas].

I am flexible about pick-up and drop-off.

If we cannot agree, I propose we use a family mediator before either of us goes to court.

Please reply in writing by [Date, e.g. 14 days from this letter].

Yours sincerely,

[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]