Enforcement of child contact — the C79 and the realistic outcomes
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-31
When contact isn't happening
If you have a child arrangements order that says the child should spend time with you, but the other parent keeps breaching it (cancelling, refusing handovers, undermining contact), enforcement is the route. See our enforcement-child-arrangements-options guide for the full ladder.
The enforcement application (Form C79)
- Apply to the family court that made the order
- You'll need to show: the order exists, contact was refused on specific dates, and you've tried to resolve it (messages/mediation)
- Fee applies (check help-with-fees eligibility — see our EX160 guide)
What the court can order
| Outcome | What it does | |---------|--------------| | Referral to SPIP | Both parents learn child-focused co-parenting (see our SPIP guide) | | Variation | Reshapes contact to something more workable (days, handovers) | | Unpaid work requirement | The breaching parent does community service (up to 100–200 hours) | | Financial compensation | Ordered for concrete losses from a breach (prepaid events/travel) | | Costs order | The breaching parent pays your costs, if conduct was unreasonable | | Committal (contempt) | Last resort — imprisonment/suspended, requires a penal notice + proof |
Why courts prefer to vary or educate
Judges treat enforcement as about the child, not a parent's grievance. Where breach is "soft" (e.g. the child resists, or there's a genuine difficulty), courts prefer the SPIP / variation route over punishment. They reserve committal for deliberate, serious breach with a penal notice on the order.
Before you apply
1. Log every breach — dates, reasons, screenshots 2. Write factually to the other parent — "the order says X; on [date] it didn't happen; can we agree how to move forward?" (non-hostile, documented) 3. Attempt mediation if safe — see our mediation guide 4. Apply (C79) only with a clear, evidenced pattern
If you're the parent resisting contact
- If there's a real safeguarding reason, raise it formally with evidence at the hearing — don't just breach
- Apply for a variation if the order genuinely doesn't work (see our variation guide)
- Non-compliance without a good reason reads badly and can trigger enforcement against you
Official links
- https://www.gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce
- Enforcement form C79: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-c79-application-for-committal-for-breach-of-a-child-arrangements-order-or-other-order
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or gov.uk.
Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.