C100 Court Form - Answering your questions
- Online Mediation
- Feb 14
- 4 min read
Can you explain what is the C100? And what is the C100 Court Form?
'C100' is a reference the Family Court has given one of its court forms. It is the form used to apply to Family Court for an order about children. A court order is a legally binding document that sets out the arrangements for children, or things that must or must not be done by parents or carers. Depending on what a court order covers, it can be called:
Child Arrangements Order (CAO)
Covers things like where a child will mainly live, what times they will see each parent, arrangements for holidays, and so on. When people say 'child custody' or 'child residency', they will be talking about a Child Arrangements Order.
Specific Issue Order (SIO)
This order is used when there is a particular issue that needs a decision. For example health treatments for a child.
Prohibited Steps Order (PSO)
This will state what must not happen. An example is where one parent plans to relocate with a child, or remove a child from school, and the other parent seeks to stop this happening.
'C100 court form' is becoming less used as a term because of the move away from physical paper forms towards online systems. Previously, all Child Arrangements Order applications would be made using a printed C100 court form. Now, almost all applications are made online, using the court's website.
How quickly will the court deal with my C100 application?
The Family Court has more applications coming in than it has resources to handle. There are not enough judges, court rooms, and essential personnel to handle the applications coming in within a reasonable timescale. This means parents (and of course their children) waiting many months (and often years) to have their case attended to and resolved.
One solution is to send parents to family mediation, to see if a professional mediator can help them work out their differences. Mediation is quicker (and much less expensive for families using lawyers) than the court process.
Court is still needed for some parents, for example where there are safety concerns or domestic abuse. Sometimes every effort has been made to avoid court, and all options have been explored in mediation, and a dispute remains unresolved. A judge's decision may be the only way to break a deadlock. With more use of family mediation, those who really need the court's time will get help more quickly.
How do I get a C100 Court Form for Child Arrangements Order, and what is a MIAM?
In practice, the Family Court requires parents to meet with a family mediator before applying to court. This first meeting is between the parent/carer and the mediator, without the other parent present. It is called a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting, or 'MIAM'. The meeting can be held online using video-call, or in person.
At the MIAM, the mediator will help you explore all options for avoiding court, and give professional guidance and legal information. There are almost always further options that the mediator can assist with. For example, they can contact the other parent and see if their neutral and impartial assistance can move things forward.
After attending a MIAM, a parent can make an application to court for a Child Arrangements Order (CAO), Prohibited Steps Order (PSO) or Specific Issue Order (SIO). You may also hear this referred to as a 'C100' application, a 'C100 court form MIAM', or other terms. If you are confused or unsure do call us and we will help you understand any terms you have heard. We can also explain the process and your options. If you wish to book a MIAM with one of our mediators we can arrange that with you too.
Call us Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm: 0800 133 7303
To start the process, you can book your individual meeting (MIAM) with a mediator by calling us, or book anytime on our website: https://www.onlinemediation.org.uk/book-online
What are the costs of a C100 Court Form MIAM?
We charge £95 for a MIAM. If you need a Certificate for court, there is a £20 charge. If you cannot afford a MIAM, you can look at Legal Aid funding to cover the costs.
What does the C100 Court Form say about family mediation and attending a MIAM?
The 2025 C100 Court Form states:
"You are legally required to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) before applying to the family court to resolve a dispute about your children or finances. This means that before submitting your application to court, you must meet with an authorised family mediator to find out about mediation and the other different options for resolving your dispute(s) outside of court."
What happens if I do not attend a MIAM and submit a C100 Court Form?
You need to sign this declaration on the C100 Court Form:
"I understand that if I have not attended a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM), the court cannot process my court application unless I claim a valid MIAM exemption."
Our experience is that Family Courts are strict on ensuring applicants follow the MIAM procedure correctly, and properly explore mediation. This means is is quite likely that your application will be refused or delayed if you don't attend a MIAM before applying.
On occasion, parents decide that it will be quicker to skip the MIAM and apply to court. In reality, this usually slows the process down. It takes the court days or weeks to review your C100 application, and if the MIAM requirement has been missed, the judge will decline to set a hearing date, and tell you to book a MIAM first.
We can usually see you for a MIAM within a day or two.
What are the MIAM exemptions?
The Family Court website has a list of reasons it accepts for not attending a MIAM:
What funding available?
Funding from the Legal Aid Agency is available for those who qualify.
For those not qualifying for Legal Aid, the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme (Mediation Vouchers) provides up to £500 towards the costs of joint mediation sessions. There is more information here.
How do I book a MIAM?
Call us on 0800 133 7303 or click below to book a MIAM with a qualified Family Mediator.
