What the FHDRA Is
The First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment -- the FHDRA -- is the first court hearing in child arrangements proceedings. It typically takes place four to eight weeks after the C100 is filed. The hearing is conducted before a judge or magistrates and usually lasts between 30 and 60 minutes, though it can be shorter. It is not a final hearing. No final decisions about the children are made at the FHDRA.
The purpose of the FHDRA is to identify the issues in dispute, explore whether agreement is possible (usually with the assistance of a CAFCASS officer who will be present), and give directions for what happens next if agreement cannot be reached. In many cases, the FHDRA results in an interim agreement being recorded as a consent order. In others, the judge sets a timetable for further hearings.
What Happens Before the Hearing
The complete step-by-step guide: C100 Family Court Action Pack.
Before the FHDRA, CAFCASS will conduct safeguarding checks. This means checks with the police and children's services on both parents. CAFCASS will also contact both parents by telephone -- the safeguarding call. This call usually happens within three weeks of the application being issued. It is not a formal interview but it matters. Be clear, factual, and focused on the children's welfare. Do not use it to attack the other parent.
CAFCASS will produce a safeguarding letter based on these checks and the telephone calls. This letter goes to the court and both parties before the hearing. Read it carefully. If it contains factual errors, you can address them at the hearing.
Your Position Statement
You should file a position statement before the FHDRA. This is a short document -- typically two to three pages -- setting out your position on the issues in the case. It should cover: what you are seeking (the specific arrangements you want for the children), your current relationship with the children, any welfare concerns you have, and your proposal for resolving the case. It should not be a character attack on the other parent. It should be focused entirely on the children's welfare.
File your position statement at court and serve it on the other party at least three working days before the hearing. Bring copies to court on the day.
On the Day
Arrive early. Dress appropriately -- business casual at minimum. Courts can be intimidating if you have not been before. You will wait in the waiting area. The CAFCASS officer will usually want to speak to both parents separately before the hearing begins. Use this conversation well -- be measured, focused on the children, and clear about what you are seeking.
In the courtroom, address the judge as "Your Honour" if they are a circuit judge, or "Sir" or "Ma'am" if they are a magistrate or district judge. Listen carefully. Do not interrupt. If you do not understand something, say so politely. The judge at an FHDRA is not trying to make a final decision -- they are trying to understand the landscape and move the case forward efficiently.
What the Judge Is Looking For
At the FHDRA, the judge is assessing whether the case can be resolved by agreement, and if not, what information is needed to resolve it. They are looking for parents who are child-focused, reasonable, and willing to engage constructively. A parent who presents as cooperative and focused on the children's needs starts from a better position than one who presents as hostile and grievance-driven, regardless of who filed the application.
If you have genuine welfare concerns -- domestic abuse, substance misuse, safeguarding issues -- raise them clearly and specifically. If your concerns are about contact arrangements rather than safety, frame them around the children's needs rather than your feelings about the other parent.
Possible Outcomes at the FHDRA
Interim consent order: the parties agree arrangements on a temporary basis pending further hearings. This is the most common outcome. Directions: the judge sets a timetable for further steps -- a welfare report, further statements, a fact-finding hearing. Adjournment: occasionally the hearing is adjourned to allow time for mediation or further disclosure. Final order: rare at FHDRA but possible where the issues are narrow and both parties agree.