C1 form: apply for other Children Act orders
Form C1 is the application for Children Act 1989 orders that are not section 8, care, supervision or enforcement orders. Examples include parental responsibility, guardianship and special guardianship orders.
How Wren helps with the C1
Official forms are written for lawyers. With Wren you do not have to decode this one on your own, and you still follow the court’s procedure.
- Plain questions, one at a timeEach part of the C1 becomes short questions in everyday words. Answer at your own pace and come back to it.
- Help beside each questionWhat the question is asking and what the official guidance says about it, in plain English.
- The official form, filled inYour answers go into the official C1. You check it, sign it and send it yourself. Nothing goes to the court for you.
- What comes next, kept with your caseWhat usually happens after you send it, with the dates worked out from the published rules.
Time and money
- On your own
- A day or more
- With Wren
- About an hour for most forms
- Solicitor for this form
- £740 to £1,2403 to 5 hours
A solicitor’s time for the C1 can run to £1,240. With Wren it is part of £19.99 a month, and it takes about an hour for most forms rather than a day or more.
Times and hours are Wren’s estimates for a typical case, not quotes. Solicitor costs are those hours at £247 an hour, the courts’ guideline rate for a solicitor with over four years’ experience, outside London (GOV.UK, Solicitors' guideline hourly rates (in effect from 1 January 2026)). The guideline runs from £200 to £295 an hour outside London depending on experience, firms set their own rates, and VAT is added on top.
Key facts
- Official title
- Apply for certain orders under the Children Act 1989: Form C1
- Edition
- 06.26 (9 pages)Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Fee
- £270 for a new Children Act application from 13 July 2026, for example special guardianship.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- MIAM
- The MIAM rule applies to applications about parental responsibility, guardians, a change of surname or removal from the UK, and special guardianship.Source: para 12(1)(b) (external source, opens in a new tab); para 12(1)(c) (external source, opens in a new tab); para 12(1)(d) (external source, opens in a new tab); para 12(1)(e),(f) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Who serves it
- In these cases the applicant serves the application, not the court.Source: FPR 12.8(4) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Service deadline
- At least 14 days before the hearing or directions appointment.Source: PD12C para 2.1 table row 1, para 2.2 (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Proof of service
- File a statement of service (form C9) at or before the first directions appointment or hearing.Source: rule 6.37(2) (external source, opens in a new tab)
Who uses the C1
A person applying for one of those orders, for example a parent seeking a parental responsibility order. The form says section 8 applications use form C100 and enforcement uses form C79.
When it is used
To start a new application, or in some cases after an order, such as asking to vary or discharge a special guardianship order.
Before you start
- Full details of each child: name, date of birth, current address and who cares for them.
- Details of the respondents, including everyone you believe has parental responsibility.
- Copies of orders from any earlier or current court cases about the children or their brothers and sisters.
- School, health and social services details for each child.
- A copy of any Parenting Plan you have agreed. The form asks you to include it.
How to fill in the C1
Open each part for what it asks and how to answer it. In Wren, each part is a few plain questions, and your answers fill in the form.
Front page: is C1 the right form?
The heading excludes section 8, care, supervision and enforcement orders. It lists the kinds of application that need a MIAM. Question 7 is answered only if you apply for a parental responsibility order.
Sections 1 to 5: the people and other cases
You describe yourself, the children and the order you want, and any other court cases. You then name the respondents and others who must be told. Leave private contact details blank and use form C8.
Section 7: domestic abuse, violence or harm
You say whether you believe the children have suffered or are at risk of harm. If you tick yes, you must also complete form C1A. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999.
Sections 6 and 8 to 12: the children's lives
You describe each child's care, social services involvement, school and health. You also give details of the parents, other children in the family and other adults at the child's home.
Sections 13 to 15: reasons and parenting arrangements
You say briefly why you are applying and what order you want. Leave section 13 out if a supplementary form goes with the application. Section 15 asks about any Parenting Plan.
Statement of truth
You sign to confirm the facts are true. The last page also explains the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 rules on questioning in person, and forms EX740 and EX741.
Prepare your C1 with Wren Family
Wren Family turns official forms into short, plain-English questions you can answer at your own pace. You check everything before you send it: nothing goes to the court for you.
Get startedFree for 14 days, no card. Then £19.99 a month, with your money back within 14 days if it’s not right.
What happens after you send it
The court issues the application and returns copies to you to serve. You serve each respondent with the application and the notice of proceedings, and give notice to others the rules list. You then file form C9 to show how and when you served. Cafcass, or Cafcass Cymru, carries out checks as it considers necessary.
Common mistakes
- Using C1 for a child arrangements, prohibited steps or specific issue order, which use form C100.
- Forgetting that the applicant, not the court, serves a C1 application.
- Answering yes to question 7 without completing form C1A.
- Filling in separate forms for each child. The rules say all children go on one application.
Common questions
Which form do I use for a parental responsibility order?
Form C1 lists parental responsibility orders among the applications it covers. Question 7 of the form is only for parental responsibility applications.
How much does a C1 application cost?
EX50 lists £270 for new Children Act 1989 applications from 13 July 2026, including special guardianship. Help with fees may be available.
Do I serve a C1 myself?
Yes. Outside section 8 cases, the rules say the applicant serves the application. You then file form C9 as proof.
Do I need a MIAM before a C1?
For parental responsibility, guardianship, surname change, removal from the UK and special guardianship applications, the MIAM rule applies unless an exemption does.
Where these facts come from
These are the official rules and pages this page is based on. They are listed so you can check a detail for yourself; you do not need them to use Wren. They are outside Wren and open in a new tab.
- GOV.UK: Form C1 (external source, opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Family court fees (EX50) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- FPR 2010 Part 12 (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Practice Direction 12C: Service (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Practice Direction 3A: MIAMs (external source, opens in a new tab)
- FPR 2010 Part 6 (statement of service) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Pinned template C1 (06.26) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- FPR Part 29 Miscellaneous (external source, opens in a new tab)