Local authorities have the discretion to make child arrangements order allowances under the Children Act 1989. Is there any guidance that deals with challenges to their decision to issue the allowance?

Under Schedule 1 to the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989), local authorities have the power to make child arrangements order allowances:

15Local authority contribution to child's maintenance

1. •

   Where a child lives, or is to live, with a person as the result of a [child arrangements order], a local authority may make contributions to that person towards the cost of the accommodation and maintenance of the child.

2. •

   Subpara (1) does not apply where the person with whom the child lives, or is to live, is a parent of the child or the husband or wife [or civil partner] of a parent of the child.

This further reading from Butterworths—