Prohibited steps orders

A prohibited steps order may be made under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989). It is an order that provides that no step that could be taken by a parent in meeting their parental responsibility for a child, and that is of a kind specified in the order, shall be taken by any person without the consent of the court. A prohibited steps order is concerned with a single specific issue and imposes a restriction, for example, on changing a child's surname, removing a child from the UK (where there is no child arrangements order (CAO) in force) or in connection with the medical treatment of a child.

See Practice Note: Prohibited steps orders.

When considering an application for a prohibited steps order the child's welfare will be the court's paramount consideration and it will have regard to the statutory checklist. The court will also have to be satisfied that it would be better for the child to make an order than not.

See Practice Notes: Private children—paramountcy of the child's welfare and The statutory checklist.

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