The FHDRA — what happens at the first C100 hearing (national guide)
The FHDRA (First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment) is every new C100 case's first courtroom moment. National mechanics here; venue specifics live on each court's page.
Timescale and format
- Listed roughly 6–12 weeks after issue (regional backlog varies — ask the listing office).
- Half a day reserved, ~30–60 minutes actually used; video (CVP) increasingly common.
- A Cafcass officer is usually available on the day — the conciliation engine of the hearing.
The three phases
- Officer reading + separate meetings The bench and officer read the safeguarding letter, then usually speak to each parent separately — your chance to show measured reasonableness at its most compressed.
- Conciliation Proposals travel between rooms. Interim contact — centre-based, supported, supervised, or direct — is agreed where possible and recorded as an order on the day.
- Directions if no agreement Statements timetable, possible s.7 report (what that involves), findings scoping if allegations require (fact-finding), next hearing listed.
What to arrive with
- A written position statement One to two pages, proposal-led — the skeleton. Bring three copies.
- A named, checkable interim offer "Supported contact at [NACCC centre near the child], Saturdays 10–12, for four weeks, I'll pay" — how to find and book centres. Named beats vague every time.
- Your response to the safeguarding letter Read it precisely; correct errors factually in the position statement.
- Questions ready The officer's time is short. Your three best questions, written down, asked calmly.
Reality check from a hundred FHDRAs: the parent who arrives organised, child-focused and flexible often leaves with interim contact agreed that day. The parent who arrives to litigate last year's grievances usually leaves with directions and a longer war. (Full hearing-day checklist.)
Before your hearing
Turning scattered messages, notes and dates into evidence takes structure. apply this guide to your own documents — EvidenceCanvas is a guided toolkit that helps you draft a child-focused witness statement, answer a Scott Schedule point by point, and assemble a paginated court bundle. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.