Prohibited steps and specific issue orders — using s.8 orders for single disputes

REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29

When you need a specific decision, not a full arrangements order

Sometimes you don't need a complete child arrangements order — you need the court to decide one thing. That's what prohibited steps and specific issue orders are for.

Prohibited steps order (PSO)

Stops a person with parental responsibility from doing something without consent:

Taking the child abroad without consent
Changing the child's surname
Moving the child to a different school
Taking the child out of school
Allowing a specific person to have contact with the child
Having the child vaccinated against the other parent's wishes
Removing the child from care by the local authority

Specific issue order (SIO)

Asks the court to decide a specific question:

Which school the child should attend
Whether the child should have a medical procedure
Whether the child should be baptised or follow a religion
Whether the child should change their name
What holiday dates are appropriate
Whether the child should have social media access

How to apply

Both PSO and SIO applications are made on the C100 form (same as child arrangements). You can ask for a PSO and an SIO at the same time, or alongside a child arrangements order.

MIAM requirement

You normally need to attend a MIAM first (see our mediation guide) — unless an exemption applies (e.g. urgency, domestic abuse).

Fees

C100 application fee applies (see our EX160 fee waiver guide)

What the court considers

The welfare checklist (see our welfare-checklist guide) — and specifically:

The wishes and feelings of the child (age-appropriately)
The effect on the child of the proposed action or its prevention
Whether the order is better than no order (the no-order principle)
Any risk of harm

Urgent applications

If there's an immediate risk (e.g. a parent is about to take the child abroad tomorrow), you can apply without notice — the court makes a temporary order immediately and lists a return hearing.

Official links

C100: https://www.gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce
Children Act 1989 s.8: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/section/8

This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or gov.uk.

Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.