UK family court glossary — common terms explained in plain English

Who this is for. If you are going through a family court case in England or Wales — about children or money after a separation or divorce — this plain-English glossary explains the most common terms you will come across, from the forms you file to the hearings you attend. It is written for people representing themselves and does not take sides. It is general information, not legal advice.

Reviewed by Sean McNamara on 2026-10-21

People in the case

Applicant — The person who starts (applies for) a family court case. In a children or financial dispute this is the person who fills in the application form and brings the case to court.
Respondent — The other person in the case — the one the application is made against, who has to respond to it.
CAFCASS — The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. This independent public body safeguards children's welfare in family court cases, carries out safeguarding checks, and writes reports to help the court decide what is best for the child.
Litigant in person (LIP) — Someone who represents themselves in court without a solicitor. Judges and the court staff are used to dealing with litigants in person, and your case is decided on the evidence and the law, not on whether you have a lawyer.
McKenzie friend — An unpaid layperson (not a lawyer) who can come to court with you to give you moral support, help you roughly take notes, and — with the court's permission — quietly help you present your case. They cannot act or speak as your lawyer.

Forms you apply to court with

C100 — The main application form you use to ask the court for a child arrangements order (where a child lives and how much time they spend with each parent). A MIAM is usually required before you can file it.
FL401 — The application form for a non-molestation order or an occupation order when you need protection from domestic abuse. Because these are urgent safety matters, you can often ask the court to deal with your application urgently or without telling the other person ("without notice").
C1A — A supplementary "allegations of harm" form filed alongside a C100 (or FL401) when you say there has been domestic abuse or the child is at risk of harm. It is kept confidential in case it risks alerting the alleged abuser or places a child in danger.
Form E — The detailed financial statement each spouse must complete and exchange in a financial remedy (divorce finances) case. It sets out all their income, property, savings, pensions, debts, and outgoings so the court can divide things fairly.
D81 — A joint (dual) statement of information that both parties sign and file with the court when they agree their finances, so the court can approve their arrangements and make it a legally binding consent order.

Types of order you might ask for

Child arrangements order — A court order setting out where a child will live and how much time they spend with each parent (the modern order that replaced "custody" and "access").
Prohibited steps order — An order stopping a parent from doing a specific thing with a child without court consent, such as taking them out of the country, changing their school, or moving home.
Specific issue order — An order giving an answer to a specific disagreement that parent cannot agree on, such as which school a child attends, medical treatment, or a holiday abroad.
Non-molestation order — An urgent protective order stopping a partner or ex-partner from threatening, harassing, or using violence towards you (and often your children). Breaking it is a criminal offence.
Occupation order — An order saying who can live in the family home and who must leave or stay away, made where someone is at risk or the home is in dispute.
Parental responsibility — The legal rights, duties, powers, and responsibilities a parent has for a child's safety, welfare, and upbringing (such as education and medical decisions). An unmarried father does not automatically have it but can acquire it.

Court hearings and process

FHDRA (First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment) — The first directions hearing in a child-arrangements case, where the court checks the safeguarding letter, identifies the real issues, and explores whether the matter can be settled, possibly through mediation or agreement.
DRA (Dispute Resolution Appointment) — A hearing where the judge tries to encourage the parties to agree and resolve matters themselves before a final contested hearing, usually towards the end of a child-arrangements case.
DFM — A term used for the DRA / dispute resolution part of a financial or children case ("DFM" here is sometimes read as Dispute resolution final hearing) — if you see it on your notice of hearing, it refers to the court session aimed at resolving the dispute by agreement before a final trial.
Fact-finding hearing — A short trial held when there are serious, contested allegations (for example of domestic abuse) that affect the case. The judge hears evidence about those specific allegations and decides which, if any, are proved — before deciding about the child or the other issues.
MIAM (Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting) — The single information meeting with an accredited mediator that you must usually attend before making most child or financial court applications, to see whether you can resolve the dispute without court. It is not mediation itself.

Reports, factors, and documents

Safeguarding letter — After an application is issued, CAFCASS (or, in some cases a local authority) carries out a safeguarding check and sends the court a short letter covering, and safety background, of the people involved and whether any child is at risk. It is not about the merits of the case.
Section-7 report — A welfare report prepared by CAFCASS (or a local authority) under s.7 of the Children Act 1989, telling the court what it thinks is in the child's best interests. The judge will often direct such a report to help them decide a contested child-arrangements case.
Section 25 factors — The "welfare checklist" that the court must consider before making any order about children, set out in s.1(3) of the Children Act 1989 — the child's wishes, physical and emotional needs, the likely effect of any change, and harm risk, among others. The paramount concern is always the child's welfare.
Financial remedy — The legal process for dividing finances, property, pensions, and deciding spousal maintenance when a couple separates or divorces. It is handled through the court and usually formalised by a financial order.
Bundle — The collection of court documents put together for a hearing and presented to the judge, including the applicant's, position statements, witness statements, and any orders. In family proceedings the standard structure and over-archiving of the bundle is governed by PD27A (the Family Procedure Rules Practice Direction that sets out how it should be prepared).
PD27A — Practice Direction 27A of the Family Procedure Rules, which sets out exactly how bundles common to a family court hearing must be prepared, shared, and presented so judges and the parties have the same documents.

Resolving before court

MIAM (see above) — the mandatory information-and-assessment meeting before most court applications.
Mediation — A voluntary, confidential process where an impartial trained mediator helps you and your ex talk through your disagreements and reach your own agreement, instead of leaving the decision to a judge. It does governments not take sides or make decisions for you.

Official sources (gov.uk / the Law Society)

Making child arrangements (includes C100, MIAM, CAFCASS): gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce
Applying for a court order to protect from abuse (FL401, non-molestation, occupation): gov.uk/injunction-domestic-violence
Getting a divorce / financial settlement (Form E, D81, financial remedy): gov.uk/divorce
Children Act 1989 (s.25 welfare checklist, s.7 welfare reports): legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41

This is general information, not legal advice. It is not a substitute for advice from a qualified family-law solicitor or a regulated adviser, and it does not take sides or prejudge any case. Court forms, rules, fees, and official procedures change — always verify the current position on the official GOV.UK pages linked above before acting. If you believe you or your child are in immediate danger, call the police on 999; if you are a survivor of domestic abuse, contact Refuge (0808 2000 247) or Women's Aid. The family court decides each case on its own evidence and on the best interests of the child.

YourFamilyCase is an independent, impartial information resource. We are not part of GOV.UK, HM Courts & Tribunals Service, CAFCASS, the Family Mediation Council, or any law firm, mediator, or agency named or linked in this guide, and we receive no payment or preferment from any of them. The information here is provided to help you understand the system; it does not replace professional legal advice.