Can I Apply for a Prohibited Steps Order on a C100 Form?

If you are worried that your child’s other parent is about to do something you strongly disagree with, Prohibited Steps Orders are one of the tools the family court can use to stop it. Perhaps you have heard that your ex plans to take your child abroad, move them to a different school, or change their surname without asking you. The reassuring news is that you can apply for this kind of order yourself, as part of the family court process, using a single form. This guide explains what a prohibited steps order does, the situations where it can help, and exactly how to ask for one on the C100.

What Is a Prohibited Steps Order?

A prohibited steps order is a court order that stops a parent, or anyone with parental responsibility, from taking a specific step in relation to a child without the court’s agreement. It is one of three types of order made under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989, alongside child arrangements orders and specific issue orders.

The key word is “prevent”. A prohibited steps order does not decide where a child lives or who they see. It simply blocks one particular action that you believe would harm your child or disrupt their life. The order has to be clear and specific, so the court can see exactly what is being stopped and why.

A prohibited steps order usually applies to a child under 16, and the child cannot be in the care of a local authority. The order is often time limited, for example for six to twelve months, or it may last until a particular event such as the end of a school year. If you are still working out which order fits your situation, the main guide to the C100 form is a useful starting point.

When Are Prohibited Steps Orders Used?

A prohibited steps order is used where one parent is about to make a significant decision about a child and the other parent has serious concerns. Three of the most common situations are set out below, though the order can cover any step a parent could take using their parental responsibility.

Preventing a child being taken abroad

This is one of the most frequent reasons parents apply. If you are concerned that the other parent intends to take your child out of England and Wales, whether for a holiday or to live abroad, and you worry they may not return, a prohibited steps order can prevent the removal.

The court may ask for evidence that there is a real intention to return, such as return travel tickets, before allowing any trip to go ahead. Where there is a genuine and immediate risk of a child being removed, this is treated as urgent and you can ask the court to act quickly.

Stopping a change of school

If you share parental responsibility, neither parent should move a child to a new school without the other’s agreement. A prohibited steps order can stop one parent enrolling the child elsewhere or taking them out of their current school while the disagreement is resolved.

This matters most where a school move would disrupt the child’s friendships, routine, or education. If the real question is which school the child should attend, rather than stopping a move, a specific issue order may be the better fit.

Preventing a change of name

Changing a child’s surname, often by deed poll, is a decision that needs the agreement of everyone with parental responsibility, or an order of the court. A prohibited steps order can prevent one parent changing the child’s name without your consent. This is frequently an emotional issue, and the court will look closely at what is in the child’s best interests rather than the wishes of either parent.

Other situations where a prohibited steps order may help include relocating the child to a different part of the UK, preventing a particular person from having contact with the child, or stopping a non urgent medical decision being made unilaterally. The list is not fixed, which is why describing your specific concern clearly on the form is so important.

Prohibited Steps Order, Specific Issue Order or Child Arrangements Order?

All three of these are Section 8 orders, and all three are applied for on the same C100 form. The difference is what each one does. Choosing the right one helps your application run smoothly, because the court will not make a prohibited steps order where a different order would do the job just as well.

Can You Apply for a Prohibited Steps Order on a C100 Form?

Yes. The C100 is the standard application to ask the family court to make a child arrangements, prohibited steps, or specific issue order. There is no separate form for a prohibited steps order, so if you have no existing court case, the C100 is the form you need. If proceedings are already open, you would use a C2 form to apply within the existing case instead.

Most parents can apply without needing the court’s permission first. You will usually be able to apply if you are a parent of the child, whether or not you have parental responsibility. If you do not have parental responsibility and do not fall within the categories that can apply as of right, you may need to ask the court for permission before you can make your application.

How to Request a Prohibited Steps Order on the C100 Form

Selecting a prohibited steps order on the C100 is straightforward once you know where to look. Here is how to do it on the current form, version 06.26, updated on 1 June 2026.

1. Use the latest form: make sure you are using version 06.26. Older versions record the MIAM requirement differently and can cause delays.
2. Find the order section: near the start of the form there is a section asking what order you want the court to make, with tick boxes for child arrangements, prohibited steps, and specific issue orders.
3. Tick the prohibited steps box: select prohibited steps order. You can tick more than one box if you also need, for example, a specific issue order or a child arrangements order on the same application.
4. Describe the step in the text box: below the tick boxes you are asked to specify the nature of your application. Keep this brief and factual. One or two sentences is enough at this stage.
5. Save the detail for later: you do not need to tell the whole story on the form. There is space later, and in any supporting statement, to set out the background and your reasons in full.

For the text box, a clear, neutral sentence works best. For example:

• Travel abroad: “I am applying for a prohibited steps order to prevent the children’s father from removing them from England and Wales without my written consent or an order of the court.”
• School move: “I am applying for a prohibited steps order to prevent the children’s mother from removing the children from their current school without my agreement.”
• Name change: “I am applying for a prohibited steps order to prevent any change to the child’s surname without my consent or an order of the court.”

Most C100 applications are now made online through the MyHMCTS service, although a paper route is still available if you cannot apply online. If you would rather not complete the form yourself, our step by step guide to completing a C100 form walks through every section.

Do You Need a MIAM Before Applying?

In most cases, yes. It is a legal requirement to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting, known as a MIAM, before you apply to the family court, unless a valid exemption applies. A MIAM is a short meeting with an accredited mediator who explains whether your dispute might be resolved without going to court. You can read more in our guide on whether you need a MIAM for a C100 form.

Some situations are exempt. You may not need to attend a MIAM if your application is genuinely urgent, for example where there is a real risk of a child being removed from the country, or where there has been domestic abuse. Our guide to MIAM exemptions sets out when you can apply without one. The government also offers a voucher worth up to £500 towards mediation costs, which can make this route more affordable if mediation is suitable.

What Happens After You Apply?

Once you submit your C100 and pay the £270 fee, the court issues your application and CAFCASS carries out initial safeguarding checks. You will then be given a date for a first hearing, known as the First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment. This usually takes place around four to six weeks after you apply, though busy courts can take longer. Our guide on what happens after you submit a C100 form explains each stage.

If your situation is urgent, you can ask the court to deal with your application quickly, and in some cases to hear it without notice to the other parent. This is sometimes called a without notice or ex parte hearing, and it is used where there is a real and immediate risk, such as a child being taken abroad imminently. You would normally need to explain the urgency clearly and provide supporting evidence, such as travel dates, messages, or a school letter. If the court grants an interim order, a further hearing is usually listed soon afterwards so both parents can be heard.

Will the Court Grant a Prohibited Steps Order?

Whether the court makes the order depends on the facts of your case. The welfare of your child is the court’s paramount concern, set out in Section 1 of the Children Act 1989. The judge will weigh up the welfare checklist, which includes your child’s needs, their wishes and feelings in light of their age and understanding, the likely effect of any change, and any risk of harm.

The court also follows the no order principle, which means it will only make an order if doing so is better for the child than making no order at all. It will not grant a prohibited steps order where another order, or no order, would serve the child just as well. This is why being specific about the single step you want stopped, and the reason it concerns you, gives your application the best chance of being understood.

Frequently Asked Questions

About The Author

Jess Knauf

administrator

Jess Knauf is the Director of Client Strategy at Mediate UK, Co-founder of Family Law Service and lead author at C100form.co.uk.

With over six years of experience in family mediation across England and Wales, she specialises in C100 court applications, MIAM assessments, child arrangements guidance and divorce mediation. Jess is a member of Resolution, the national organisation of 6,500 family law professionals committed to constructive resolution, and the published author of “The Complete Guide to Divorce in England and Wales 2026” available on Amazon.

She fact-checks all family law content published across C100Form.co.uk to ensure accuracy and compliance with current UK legislation.

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