The application is usually made using Form C100 and may be submitted through the online court service or by using the current paper form. The official process applies in England and Wales.
Good preparation can help the court understand the dispute without having to extract the central issue from a long account of the adult relationship.
Decide what you are asking the court to determine
Before completing the form, the applicant should identify the precise order required. A general request for the court to sort out contact gives less useful information than a clear proposal.
The application may ask the court to determine:
- Where the child should live.
- When the child should spend time with another parent or carer.
- Whether overnight stays should take place.
- How school holidays and special occasions should be divided.
- Whether contact should be direct, supervised or indirect.
- How handovers and transport should be managed.
Each request should be connected to the child’s circumstances. A proposed routine needs to take account of school, distance, sleep, work commitments and the child’s existing relationships.
Applicants should distinguish the order they want from the evidence they will use to support it. The requested outcome should be identifiable before the background explanation begins.
Complete Form C100
This is the prescribed application form for a Child Arrangements Order, Specific Issue Order or Prohibited Steps Order. It is also used to apply to vary or discharge certain existing orders.
The form asks for information about the applicant, the respondent, the children and any current or previous proceedings. It also covers the MIAM requirement, the orders requested and issues affecting safety or welfare.
Applicants should use the current version. The official C100 was updated on 1 June 2026, so forms retained from an earlier application or downloaded from an unofficial source may no longer reflect the latest wording.
Names, dates of birth and contact details should be checked carefully. Inconsistencies can cause avoidable questions or delay the issue of proceedings.
The separate article on completing Form C100 can provide more detailed guidance on the form itself. This page is intended to explain the wider application process.
Include relevant safeguarding information
The application must disclose concerns that could affect the safety or welfare of the child or either party. Relevant matters may include domestic abuse, neglect, substance misuse, threats, risk of abduction or involvement from the police and children’s services.
Information should be specific enough for the court to understand the alleged risk. Dates, incidents and known professional involvement are usually more useful than broad statements that the other parent is unsafe.
Applicants should avoid including allegations simply to strengthen their position in an ordinary parenting disagreement. Serious claims can influence safeguarding enquiries and the way the court manages the case.
Where disclosure of an address or contact detail could create a risk, the current court process provides mechanisms for supplying confidential information. The latest C100 wording directs applicants to the appropriate confidential details form.
Pay the application fee or request help with fees
From July 2026, the fee for a new application under the Children Act 1989, including a Child Arrangements Order, is £270. Court fees can change, so applicants should confirm the current amount immediately before submission.
This payment does not cover legal representation, advice or other professional costs.
People receiving certain benefits or living on a low income may be eligible for help with the fee. HMCTS allows applications for fee assistance online or through Form EX160.
Where help with fees is requested, the applicant should complete the relevant process and provide the reference or form required by the court.
An application may be delayed if the fee, remission request or payment information is missing.
Submit the application to the family court
Many applicants can use the online service. The electronic process allows the application to be saved and completed before submission.
A paper application can also be made using Form C100. The applicant must follow the current HMCTS instructions concerning copies, supporting documents and the court to which the papers should be sent.
The application should be reviewed as a complete document before it is submitted. Contradictory dates, incomplete sections or unclear requests can make the case more difficult to understand.
Applicants should retain a copy of everything provided to the court. This includes the form, supporting documents, fee information and any covering correspondence.
