Can I change child custody arrangements after the divorce is finalised?

Yes — custody orders aren't set in stone forever. Courts recognise that circumstances change, and either parent can file an application seeking modification of the existing custody arrangement, as long as you can show a genuine, material change in circumstances that affects the child's welfare.

Examples that commonly support a modification request include a significant change in either parent's living situation, relocation for work, changes in the child's own needs as they grow older, or concerns about how the current arrangement is actually working out in practice.

The court will still apply the same fundamental test as in the original custody decision — what genuinely serves the child's best interests now, not simply what either parent prefers. Older children's own wishes are also given increasing weight as they mature. It would help to document specifically what has changed and why the current arrangement is no longer serving your child well, before filing the modification application with the help of a family lawyer.