Can a family arbitration award be varied later the way a court order can be varied?

In many respects, yes, particularly once an arbitration award has been incorporated into a court order or a properly formed domestic contract, since ongoing family law arrangements like parenting time, decision-making responsibility, and support are generally understood to remain open to variation if circumstances genuinely change, regardless of whether the original terms came from a judge or an arbitrator. The mechanism for seeking that variation, such as a motion to change, typically works the same way once the arrangement is reflected in an enforceable order.

Where the award hasn't been incorporated into a court order, variation may instead require going back through arbitration again, if the original agreement contemplates that, or negotiating a new agreement between the parties, rather than using the court's motion to change process directly against a stand-alone arbitration award. Because the exact path depends on how the original award was structured and whether it's since become part of a court order, anyone whose circumstances have changed since an arbitration award was made should get legal advice on the specific route available to them.