Is there a form for the summary assessment of means as to the respective contributions of the parties towards the costs of an expert in private law children proceedings? If not, how will the court make an assessment of what the parties’ contributions should be?

Within proceedings brought under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 for a child arrangements order, specific issue order and/or prohibited steps order, there are a range of expert reports that might be appropriate, for example a report by a child and adolescent psychiatrist. When a party considers that an expert is appropriate in a particular case, an application should be made to the court having regard to the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955, Pt 25. Such an application should be made no later than the first hearing dispute resolution appointment (FPR 2010, SI 2010/2955, 25.6) and the application should detail how it is proposed that the costs of the expert are covered.

The general approach is that when an order is made for a single joint