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Guides · Legal basics · England & Wales
The C100 form (and the MIAM before it), explained calmly
The C100 is simply the application form — how a parent asks the family court to make a decision about a child. It's not a verdict, not an accusation, and filling one in doesn't mean a courtroom battle.
In plain English
What the C100 actually is.
The C100 is simply the application form. It's how a parent asks the family court in England and Wales to make a decision about a child — most often a child arrangements order (who the child lives with, and when they spend time with each parent), and also specific issue or prohibited steps orders.
That's it. It's not a verdict, not an accusation, and filling one in doesn't mean a courtroom battle — many cases settle at the first hearing.
Step 0 — for most people
The MIAM comes first.
Before the court will take your application, you'll usually need to have attended a MIAM — a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting.
In plain English: a short private meeting with a trained mediator (usually around £120, GOV.UK-checked September 2026) where they explain how mediation works and assess whether it could help your family instead of court. You attend separately from your ex-partner — same room never required — and it can be done by video. Three things parents are relieved to hear:
If you attend and your ex-partner won't, you can still apply
Their refusal doesn't trap you. The mediator signs a form to show you attended, and that's what the court needs.
The £500 mediation voucher
The Family Mediation Voucher Scheme can cover a chunk of mediation itself if you both give it a try (still running as of September 2026). It doesn't cover the MIAM itself.
Exemptions exist
Including domestic abuse, and urgent applications (for example where a child is at risk). The court service publishes the full exemption list, including what evidence each needs.
Our online mediation & MIAM guide covers choosing a mediator and what the meeting feels like →
Step 1 — applying
Applying, online or on paper.
Online is the usual route now
The court service's "apply to court about child arrangements" service. You can save and return — you get 28 days to finish once started.
On paper
Download the C100 and send the original plus 3 copies to your nearest family court.
The fee is £270
GOV.UK, checked 1 September 2026 — it changes most years, so check the current figure. On benefits or a low income? You may get help paying the fee, sometimes down to nothing.
A solicitor is optional
Plenty of parents apply themselves; Advicenow's without-a-lawyer handbook is the respected free walkthrough. Legal aid may be available — for example with evidence of domestic abuse.
So nothing surprises you
What the form asks.
Names and details of the children and both parents; what order you're asking for and briefly why; whether the MIAM happened or an exemption applies; and — importantly — any safety concerns.
If there are safeguarding worries you'll also complete a C1A (the supplemental form about harm). Answer factually and child-first; the calm, specific version of events serves you better than the heated one everywhere in this process.
After you press send
What happens next.
The court issues the application and notifies the other parent (the "respondent").
Before the first hearing, Cafcass — the court's independent children's service — makes safeguarding checks with the police and local authority and writes to the court. Then comes the FHDRA (First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment), which exists to help you agree where possible. From issue to a final order averages around 10 months nationally (GOV.UK, checked September 2026) — settling earlier is common, and every agreement you can reach yourselves shortens it.
The unglamorous thing that helps most
Dates and facts win over recollections.
Whatever happens after the C100, dates and facts win over recollections: who had the children when, what was agreed, what was paid, what was said.
Parents who kept a calm contemporaneous record spend less time arguing about the past. That's the quiet job ParentGlow does — a tamper-evident, exportable record of the family's actual logistics. Our guide to what records to keep explains which ones matter.
Quick answers
C100 and MIAM questions.
How much does a C100 cost?
£270 to apply (GOV.UK, checked 1 September 2026), with help-with-fees available for people on benefits or a low income — sometimes down to nothing.
Do I always need a MIAM first?
Usually yes — with published exemptions including domestic abuse and urgent applications. If you attend a MIAM and your ex-partner won't, you can still apply.
Can I apply without a solicitor?
Yes. Many parents do; free step-by-step help exists from the charity Advicenow, and legal aid may be available in some cases.
How long until a final order?
Around 10 months on average (GOV.UK, checked 1 September 2026) — many cases agree sooner, and every agreement you reach yourselves shortens it.
Sources checked 1 September 2026: GOV.UK — apply for a court order · GOV.UK — mediation and MIAMs · GOV.UK — form C100 · HMCTS — MIAM exemptions · GOV.UK — help with court fees · GOV.UK — check legal aid · Advicenow — applying without a lawyer. Fees and timings change; confirm the current position on GOV.UK before relying on a figure.
More legal basics: Child arrangements orders, explained → · Cafcass, explained → · What records should I keep? → · All guides →
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