Family court & support in Gillingham / Rainham (Medway)
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29
Which court serves you
Neither Gillingham nor Rainham has a family court of its own. Family, divorce and child-arrangement cases for the Medway Towns are dealt with at Medway County Court and Family Court, HMCTS main entrance, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham ME4 4AR — the combined county and family venue for north Kent, confirmed on gov.uk's Find a Court or Tribunal (https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/courts/medway-county-court-and-family-court). It handles adoption, child arrangements (C100), divorce hearings, domestic abuse cases, financial remedy and bankruptcy. Enquiries: 0300 123 5577 (Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm); divorce: 0300 303 0642 (Mon–Fri 10am–6pm); family email Family.Medway.CountyCourt@justice.gov.uk; counter open for urgent matters only, by prior appointment. Accessibility is good (disabled access and toilet, hearing loop, assistance dogs welcome, baby changing) — call 0300 123 5577 in advance to arrange help. Some Kent matters (including financial remedy) are also listed at Canterbury — check your hearing notice and confirm the venue at https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk, and see our Canterbury family court guide.
Citizens Advice
- Citizens Advice Medway serves Gillingham and Rainham (area: Medway Towns) — see https://www.medwayadvice.org.uk. The office is currently operating from outreach venues only; Gillingham outreach drop-ins run at Twydall Library, 13–15 Twydall Green (Mon & Tue 1–5pm) and St Augustine's Church, 192 Rock Avenue (Wed 9–11am). Phone 01634 383 760 (9am–1pm, Tue–Thu) or email info@medwayadvice.org.uk
- National Adviceline: 0800 144 8848 (free); webchat at citizensadvice.org.uk
- They help with benefits, debt and housing problems that often sit alongside a family case, and can refer you to specialist family services
Mediation & your MIAM
Before most family applications you must consider a MIAM (mediation information and assessment meeting). Search the FMC register for accredited mediators covering Medway: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/find-local-mediator/ — see our mediation guide for costs (the £500 voucher scheme, ~£120 MIAM, legal aid eligibility) and our C100 child arrangements guide.
Domestic abuse support
- Refuge National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 (24/7, free) · emergency 999
- On a shared phone or tablet? Use a safe device — public library, Citizens Advice office, or a trusted friend's phone — to look up local services
- Applying for an injunction? See our FL401 domestic abuse guide
- Kentwide services are listed in our domestic abuse support — home counties guide
Children's services & Cafcass
Medway Council children's services (including referrals about a child's safety) — routes via https://www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse (postcode lookup) or Medway Council directly. Cafcass (Court Adviser) for Medway is managed through the Cafcass South East service — see our Cafcass guide and children's services contact guide.
Getting there
Medway County Court and Family Court is on Dock Road, Chatham (ME4 4AR) — a short taxi or bus ride from Chatham station, and Rainham or Gillingham stations are nearby with several trains an hour to Chatham. Parking is limited nearby; allow extra time for security screening on arrival. For hearings listed at Canterbury, use the directions in our Canterbury family court guide (Chaucer Road, CT1 1ZA).
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS, gov.uk or Citizens Advice.
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.