Form C2 Family Court Application (2026): When to Use It, How to Complete It and What to File

Quick answer: What is Form C2?

Form C2 is an HMCTS application form used in children proceedings. Among other purposes, it lets someone seek an order or directions within an existing case, apply for permission to start certain proceedings, or ask to join or leave a case.

In a live private law children case it can be a way of asking the court to address a defined procedural or welfare issue—for example, whether further evidence should be filed, whether information should be obtained, or whether an existing direction needs to change.

But C2 is not a universal substitute for C100, C79 or an appeal. The correct route depends on what you want and whether the relevant proceedings are still ongoing.

Get the official HMCTS Form C2 (June 2026 edition) →

1. When should you use Form C2?

Start with a practical question: Is there an existing case in which the court is still managing issues relating to this child, and is there a specific direction or decision that needs to be made?

In appropriate circumstances a C2 application may ask the court to:

• vary or clarify a procedural direction already made in ongoing proceedings;
• give permission to file a further statement or specific evidence;
• consider whether further information, records or a professional report is required;
• make directions where the present timetable is putting a child’s welfare or fair participation at risk;
• decide an application about joining or leaving proceedings; or
• consider permission to begin proceedings where that permission is legally required.

These are examples, not guaranteed entitlements. The court decides what is necessary, proportionate and legally permissible. Some applications have their own prescribed procedure and must not be shoehorned into C2.

First check the latest sealed order. It may already specify how any further application must be made, whether permission is needed and what evidence may be filed. If proceedings have ended, the proper route may be a fresh application rather than a C2 within a live case.

Family Procedure Rules Part 18 governs many applications within proceedings, subject to rules prescribing a different process.

2. C2, C100 or C79: which family court form?

The important distinction is the remedy, not just the paperwork. If you are seeking an enforcement order, an appeal or a new substantive child arrangements decision, calling it a C2 will not make an unsuitable procedure appropriate.

See JSH Law’s C79 enforcement guide, variation and discharge guide, and family court forms guide.

3. What changed in the June 2026 C2 form?

HMCTS amended Form C2 in June 2026 and updated the official publication page on 15 June 2026. The change specifically directs applicants to use the separate C8 confidential contact details form when they do not want their address or contact information disclosed to another party.

The current form is marked C2 (06.26). Its sections include the summary of application, applicant and respondent details, other people to notify, solicitor details, details of the application, attending court and the statement of truth.

The form also indicates that Form FM1 must accompany certain specified private law Children Act applications, including categories relating to parental responsibility, some child surname or removal matters and special guardianship. Read the first page carefully rather than assuming every C2 requires the same attachments.

Download the most recent form from GOV.UK, not from an old email or an unverified template website.

4. How to complete Form C2: a practical walkthrough

Before opening the form

Have your existing case number, latest sealed order, hearing date, names of parties, relevant correspondence and any existing timetable in front of you. Identify the precise order or direction you seek before writing the narrative.

Summary of application and case information

Enter the existing case number accurately where relevant. Identify the children and the type of order involved. If the form asks whether permission is required, do not tick a box by guesswork: check your standing and the governing statutory requirements.

Sections 2 to 4: people and notice

Complete the relevant applicant and respondent information, and identify anyone else who should receive notice, such as a person caring for the child. Use C8 for confidential contact information where appropriate. Notice and service requirements are not optional administrative details: they protect procedural fairness and help the court identify whose interests are affected.

Section 5: solicitor’s details

If you act for yourself, indicate that you do not have a solicitor acting. Do not insert the name of a McKenzie Friend or a non-reserved litigation support provider as though they were your instructed solicitor.

Section 6: details of application

This is often the most important section. Explain in a few focused paragraphs: (1) the direction sought; (2) the material change or problem; (3) why the court needs to decide it now; and (4) why the proposed step serves the child’s welfare and the fair management of the case.

A long accusation is not a substitute for a proposed order. Where a statement or supporting evidence is permitted or required, use it for factual material and refer the court to the relevant existing document.

Section 7: attending court

State any interpreter, disability-related, accessibility or safety arrangements needed. If domestic abuse or intimidation affects participation, identify the protective arrangements sought, such as a separate waiting area or other appropriate special measures, and make the request in good time.

Section 8: statement of truth

Check the completed form carefully, distinguish fact from belief and allegation, and sign the statement of truth as required. A statement of truth is a serious procedural declaration, not a formality.

5. How to ask for an order the court can actually make

Family Procedure Rule 18.7 requires an application notice to identify the order sought and briefly explain why. Under that provision a draft of the proposed order must be attached, where Part 18 applies.

Compare these two approaches:

The second is not a prescribed wording or a prediction that the court will grant relief. It identifies an actionable procedural request which the court can assess for relevance and proportionality.

Where new factual material is genuinely needed, check the existing directions and permission requirements before filing. Under Practice Direction 27A, which took effect on 2 March 2026, a position statement in most family proceedings other than financial remedy should generally be no more than three pages unless the court directs otherwise, and must not introduce new evidence or have exhibits attached.

A position statement is not the same as the C2 application, a witness statement or a draft order. Keep the purposes separate.

Need to prepare a C2 but unsure what to ask for?

JSH Law provides defined, paid litigation support for people representing themselves in family proceedings. We can help organise the order history, identify the immediate procedural task, structure supporting documents and prepare a clear draft for you to consider and file yourself.

We do not promise an outcome, act as the court, or replace regulated legal representation where it is needed.

Book a JSH Law consultation →

6. How much does Form C2 cost in 2026?

The correct fee depends on the nature of the application, not just which form you download. HMCTS’s family court fee guidance, updated 13 July 2026, lists:

• £195 for an application on notice within proceedings where no other fee is specified;
• £62 for an application by consent or without notice where no other fee applies;
• separate fees for particular substantive children applications and enforcement procedures.

Do not assume that marking an application “urgent” makes it free, or that “without notice” is simply a cheaper filing choice. That route requires a proper procedural basis.

Check the live EX50 family court fees guidance before filing. If eligible, you may be able to seek help with fees using EX160.

Do you need a fresh MIAM for a C2?

The statutory MIAM requirement primarily concerns the initiation of specified family applications. A procedural application within genuinely continuing proceedings is not automatically equivalent to starting a fresh C100 case. The precise position depends on the application and any applicable exemption: consult Family Procedure Rules Part 3. Do not rely on a general statement that every C2 either always requires, or never requires, mediation.

Where and how do you file and serve it?

Follow the court’s current filing directions and HMCTS instructions, normally using the court handling the existing proceedings. Retain evidence of the date and method of filing. Under Part 18, service is generally required on respondents and, in relevant children proceedings, on the children’s guardian if one is appointed. Unless an exception or order applies, service must usually take place as soon as practicable and at least seven days before the court deals with the application.

Check who is responsible for service rather than assuming the court will do everything. Do not contact a protected party in breach of an order; seek safe, lawful service directions where necessary.

7. What if the application is urgent or involves domestic abuse?

If you ask the court to act urgently, explain what will happen to the child if the court waits, when the problem arose and why the ordinary timetable is inadequate. “I am very worried” deserves consideration, but a focused description of the actual welfare risk and evidence is more useful to a judge.

Part 18 and Practice Direction 18A restrict when an application can be dealt with without serving an application notice. Exceptional urgency is one recognised circumstance. Without-notice applications are not a mechanism for excluding the other parent merely because communication is difficult or hostile.

In cases involving alleged domestic abuse, controlling behaviour or a risk of harm, Practice Direction 12J may be relevant to how the court assesses risk and arrangements for a child. Vulnerability and participation arrangements may also require attention. Keep the child’s needs distinct from the adults’ competing narratives.

8. What happens after you submit Form C2?

Filing is a request, not an order. Depending on the application, the court may decide it on paper, require a response, list a hearing, seek clarification, refuse it or make different directions from those proposed.

After submitting, keep a simple application control record: date sent, court address or portal, fee or Help with Fees reference, the material filed, service arrangements, acknowledgement and the next deadline. If there is an upcoming hearing, confirm whether your application has actually been placed before the judge; do not assume it has been read.

Where the order sought affects another party’s participation, build a fair opportunity for them to respond into your proposed timetable. A procedurally fair application is often a stronger application.

9. Three realistic examples

Example A: the court ordered a report, but important records are missing

A parent says the section 7 report does not address material school records. Instead of demanding that the judge “ignore Cafcass”, they identify the relevant records, why they matter to the live welfare issue, and request a proportionate direction for disclosure or clarification. The court will decide whether that step is necessary.

Where the missing evidence is held by police: our police disclosure guide for Family Court explains how to identify particular incident records, 999 calls or body-worn video and use the current protocol and Annex 5 when a court direction is appropriate.

Example B: the existing timetable can no longer work

A hearing is approaching but a party has not received a document necessary to prepare. A focused application explains the order’s existing deadline, the missing document, what has been done to obtain it, and the minimum timetable adjustment needed. It avoids treating every case-management setback as misconduct.

Example C: contact has stopped and the child is distressed

The fact that a child has stopped seeing a parent raises important welfare questions, but it does not by itself determine why the relationship has changed. Depending on the live proceedings and safeguarding position, a party may ask for a timely review, carefully specified interim directions or further welfare enquiries. If the purpose is formal enforcement of an order, the distinct C79 route must be considered. Safety and the child’s actual experiences remain central.

10. C2 checklist before you file

• Have I checked that this is the right procedure and the case is still live?
• Do I have the latest sealed order, case number and next hearing date?
• Can I describe the exact order or directions sought in one or two sentences?
• Have I prepared a suitable draft order where required?
• Is every factual assertion accurate, evidenced and relevant?
• Do I need C8 confidentiality, an FM1 or other accompanying form?
• Have I addressed service, fees, Help with Fees and any genuine urgency?
• Do my proposed directions protect the child’s welfare and procedural fairness?
• Have I checked the court’s instructions for filing and service?

Use the JSH Law Six-Question Check

For each disputed proposition, ask: Source—where did this come from? Status—allegation, observation, opinion or finding? Context—what was happening? Participation—who was heard? Consequence—what happened to the child or the case? Responsibility—who must now check or decide?

Read the full JSH Law Six-Question Check.

Can AI help prepare a C2 application?

It can help map the latest order, sort dates, compare drafts with a checklist and identify where a proposed direction is unclear. It cannot verify your evidence without access to reliable original material, decide whether an application is legally appropriate, or safely replace professional judgment. Check every reference and never upload confidential children’s proceedings documents to an unapproved AI service without considering privacy, security and restrictions on disclosure.

11. Frequently asked questions about Form C2

Can I make a C2 application without a solicitor?

Yes, subject to your legal entitlement to apply and the requirements of the relevant proceedings. You must still comply with procedural rules and court orders.

Can I use C2 to change a final Child Arrangements Order?

Not simply because you have an old case number. Where the original proceedings have concluded, a fresh substantive variation application will commonly use C100. Check the proper route and any permission requirement rather than assuming an earlier case remains ongoing.

Can I use C2 to ask for my child to come home immediately?

A C2 is not itself an emergency return mechanism. The correct application depends on the current orders, legal basis, urgency and safeguarding evidence. Obtain urgent regulated legal advice where a child’s safety or removal is in issue.

Will the judge read all my attachments?

Do not assume so. File only material that the rules, an order or the court permits, identify the relevant point and use precise references. More pages do not necessarily produce a clearer application.

Does a C2 automatically pause the next hearing?

No. Until the court makes a different direction, comply with existing orders and deadlines.

What if I need my address kept confidential?

Read the June 2026 Form C2 instructions and consider Form C8. Check every application and attachment to ensure the address is not accidentally disclosed.

12. Primary sources and further reading

• HMCTS Form C2, official publication (June 2026 version)
• Family Procedure Rules, Part 18 and Practice Direction 18A
• Family Procedure Rules, Part 12
• Family Procedure Rules, Part 3 (MIAMs and non-court dispute resolution)
• Practice Direction 12J (domestic abuse and harm)
• Practice Direction 27A (in force from 2 March 2026)
• HMCTS Family Court Fees, EX50 (updated 13 July 2026)

Also useful from JSH Law: Position statements | Obtaining disclosure and records | Section 7 report help | Family court bundle help.

A court application should make the next decision clearer—not the case louder.

If you need help identifying the correct application, structuring your evidence, preparing supporting documents or getting ready for a hearing, JSH Law can agree a defined piece of practical litigation support. You remain responsible for your own case and the documents filed.

Book a consultation →   See court form support