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Prohibited Steps Orders: What are they and how do you apply for one

17 June 2026

Whether you are with a partner, separated, or co‑parenting, every family situation is different. If you are concerned that another parent or carer is about to make a decision that could harm your child’s safety or wellbeing, it can feel overwhelming.

You need to know what can be done to help the situation.

Co‑parenting arrangements may not provide the protection your child needs and it might be time to take legal steps to prevent something you genuinely believe is not in your child’s best interests.

This is where a Prohibited Steps Order (PSO) can help, but you must understand how they work to use them effectively.

What is a Prohibited Steps Order?

A PSO is a court order that prevents a person from making a decision about a child without the express permission of the other parent or the court. This is set out in Section 8 of the Children Act 1989.

When both parents have parental responsibility for the child, they must get the other’s consent before they make any decisions about the child’s upbringing.

If parents disagree on a major decision and both have parental responsibility, neither can go ahead without the other’s consent unless it’s urgent. The issue should be resolved through discussion, mediation or court.

Common things that parents might disagree about that could be sorted by a PSO are:

Changing a child’s surname
Removing a child from the UK
Relocating with a child within the UK
Medical treatment of a child
Choosing a child’s school, moving a child to a different school, or removing a child from school
Who the child can be in contact with
Places where a child can be taken
Changing a child’s religion

A PSO can only be applied if parents have exhausted all options of private deliberation on the issue and need the Court to intervene to make a decision in the child’s best interest.

Who can apply for a Protected Steps Order?

The child’s parent, guardian, the named person who the child lives with or anybody else who has parental responsibility for the child can apply for a PSO.

If someone wishes to apply for a PSO and they don’t meet any of the criteria, they must first apply for permission to the court to apply for a PSO.

The child, in most cases, must be under the age of 16. The court will hear the case in exceptional circumstances if the child is between 16 and 18.

Applying for a Prohibited Steps Order

When you apply for a PSO, you must fill in a standard application form and then pay a court fee.

Urgent matters can be processed without a notice hearing, but you must make it clear to the court why the matter is urgent.

Unless the order is urgent, the other party involved will be told about the application and will be able to object.

If the order is urgent, the court may not tell the other party. However, they will still be able to apply for the discharge of the order or to vary it.

In this case, they will be able to make a representation at the second hearing, so the judge will be able to determine if the order should continue.

It can take up to a year for non-urgent PSOs to be agreed upon, but some can be processed sooner.

What happens if a Prohibited Steps Order is breached?

If a party breaches a PSO, it is imperative to seek legal advice as soon as possible or call the authorities if it is believed that the child is in danger.

Breaking a PSO can lead to some serious consequences, such as fines or even imprisonment.

If the child is under 16, the court can be asked to enforce the order.

The court then may issue a Specific Issue Order which requires the other party to take action such as returning the child, taking away the child’s passport or issuing contempt of court proceedings.

If you suspect that a PSO has been breached, get legal advice immediately to prevent the situation from escalating.