A Prohibited Steps Order is an order granted by the Court preventing a parent from doing certain activities or events or making specific trips with their child/children.

It allows the Court to apply a restriction upon a mother or father’s parental responsibility. For example, a Prohibited Steps Order could do the following:

1) Prevent a parent from removing a child from their nursery/school;

2) Prevent a parent from removing a child from their home or from their local area;

3) Prevent a parent from removing a child from the UK;

4) Prevent a parent from changing a child’s surname.

A Prohibited Steps Order may be made in the course of proceedings concerning the child (in conjunction with another Child Arrangements Order under s8 of the Children Act 1989) or as a stand-alone application to the Court.

It can be possible to make urgent applications to the Court and to ask that the Court grant the order without notice being sent to the other party.

If you would like further information in respect of applying for a Prohibited Steps Order, or if you have received notice of an application for such an Order, please contact out Family Law Specialists, Alex Mansfield in our Wolverhampton office on 01902 328365 (amansfield@georgegreen.co.uk) or Rachel Baker in our Cradley Heath office on 01384 340580 (rbaker@georgegreen.co.uk).