Emergency procedures

Emergency prohibited steps and child arrangements orders

In certain circumstances it may be necessary to take urgent action in order to protect a child.

An application for any order under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989) (a prohibited steps order, specific issue order or child arrangements order) may be made without notice (ex parte). It should be noted however that an order will only be made in exceptional circumstances and on strong evidence. The Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955 set out the circumstances in which an application may be made without notice in FPR 2010, PD 18A, and this includes cases where there is exceptional urgency.

FPR 2010, PD 12B (the Child Arrangements Programme) sets out the procedural requirements to be followed for urgent and without notice applications for orders under ChA 1989, s 8. It provides that without notice orders should be made only exceptionally and where the specified criteria is met.

A without notice application for a prohibited steps order or child arrangements order should be made on Form C100 (if a free-standing application),

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

TAKE A FREE TRIAL

Latest Local Government News

Minister publishes guidance for councils on local government reorganisation

The Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution has issued a formal letter to councils invited to submit final proposals for unitary local government reorganisation. The letter outlines the process, provides guidance on financial decision-making, and emphasises partnership working in social care. It reaffirms the UK Government’s commitment to establishing a single-tier system of local governance in selected areas, signalling continued support for streamlining local government and improving service delivery.

CQC weekly round-up—24 July 2025

A round-up of the latest news from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), including enforcement action against six adult social care providers rated as inadequate and two services rated as requiring improvement.

PEDW publishes guidance on the planning appeals process

Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) has published guidance on the planning appeals process in Wales. The guidance outlines when and how to appeal a planning decision, noting that appeals must be made within six months of the local planning authority (LPA)’s decision notice and can only be submitted by the original applicant. It also sets out the expected timescales for decisions: 14 weeks for appeals proceeding by written representations, 21 weeks for those requiring a hearing, and 29 weeks for appeals requiring an inquiry. The document further explains the procedures for recovered appeals.

HCLG Committee publishes report calling for council tax reform and fiscal devolution

The Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee has published a report highlighting the growing disconnect between tax payments and the quality of council services. The Committee's report, ‘The Funding and Sustainability of Local Government Finance,’ has recommended reforming council tax, which it has described as England's most regressive tax. It calls for greater fiscal devolution, proposing that local authorities be empowered to set their own local taxes and revalue properties. Additionally, the report recommends replacing central government ringfencing with an outcomes-based accountability system. It also examines the pressures on local services, including adult social care, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and temporary accommodation.

View Local Government by content type :

News