The C7 Acknowledgement Form is a key legal document for respondents in UK family court proceedings. You must complete and return this form after receiving a court application about child arrangements or other family law matters. FormsPal makes it easy to fill out the C7 form online and download the completed PDF.
What the C7 Form Asks For
Before completing this form, note the following information it requires from you as the respondent:
- Your full name, address, date of birth, and daytime telephone number
- Your legal representative's name, address, and DX number (if applicable)
- Whether you intend to oppose the child arrangements application and your reasons
- Whether you received a completed Information Form (Form CA) with the application documents
- Any concerns about domestic abuse, child abduction, or risk to the child's welfare
- Whether you intend to apply to attend court by telephone or video link
- Whether you need an interpreter or disability accommodations in court
If you are also completing a C1A application form regarding allegations of harm, attach it together with your completed C7 form. For other court proceedings, you may also need a general acknowledgement form.
How to Complete the C7 Acknowledgement Form Using FormsPal
Step 1: Click the "Get Form" button at the top of this page to open the C7 Acknowledgement Form in our online PDF editor. The form will load directly in your browser without needing to download any software.
Step 2: Enter your personal information in the form fields. Complete all required sections including: About you (the person completing the form), your full name, date of birth, address, and daytime telephone number. If you have a solicitor, fill in their full name, address, telephone number, fax number, and DX number in the solicitor section.
Step 3: Complete the section on the court application. Fill in the reference number, telephone number, fax number, and DX number. Indicate the address to which letters and documents should be sent, the date the application was received, whether you oppose the application, whether you received the Information Form CA from the applicant, and if you wish to comment on the Information Form.
Step 4: Complete the child safety section. Indicate whether you believe the child has suffered or is at risk of: any form of domestic abuse, violence within the household, child abduction, or other harmful conduct or behaviour by any person who is or has been involved in the child's life or lives with or has contact with the child.
Step 5: Fill in the final section. State whether you intend to apply to the court to participate via telephone or video link. Indicate whether you will need an interpreter and specify the language. Note any disability requirements for attending court so arrangements can be made. This section ensures the court can provide appropriate accommodations for your legal proceedings.
Step 6: After completing all sections, click "Done" to save your form. Download the PDF, print it, sign it, and submit it to the family court within the required timeframe. Make copies for all parties involved in the legal proceedings. Create a free FormsPal account to store your completed legal forms and access them at any time.
What Happens After You Return the C7 Form
Once the court receives your completed C7 Acknowledgement Form, Cafcass (in England) or CAFCASS CYMRU (in Wales) will conduct initial safeguarding checks. These checks involve contacting social services and local authorities to identify any existing concerns about the child or family. A Cafcass officer may also contact you by telephone before the first hearing to discuss your concerns and the application.
The first hearing, often called a First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA), usually takes place within four to six weeks of the application being filed. Both parties will attend, along with a Cafcass officer. The court will try to establish the issues, explore whether agreement is possible, and set out a timetable for the legal proceedings if the case cannot be resolved at this stage.