C2 form: ask the court for something in an existing children case
Form C2 is the application notice used inside children proceedings under the Children Act 1989. A party, or someone who wants to become one, uses it to ask for an order, directions or permission.
How Wren helps with the C2
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 C2 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 C2. 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 C2 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
- Make an application in existing court proceedings relating to children: Form C2
- Edition
- 06.26 (10 pages)Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Fee on notice
- £195 where the other side is told and no other fee applies.Source: Applications within proceedings (fees order 5.3) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Fee by consent or without notice
- £62, for example to ask to adjourn or vacate a hearing.Source: Applications within proceedings (fees order 5.1) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Draft order
- The application must say what order you want and briefly why, with a draft order attached.Source: r 18.7(1),(2) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Service
- Serve a copy on each respondent as soon as practicable and at least 7 days before the court deals with it.Source: r 18.5 (external source, opens in a new tab); r 18.8(1) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Copies
- One for the court, one for Cafcass or Cafcass Cymru, and one for each party or other person.Source: official page (external source, opens in a new tab)
Who uses the C2
Parties in an open children case who want something from the court before the final decision. It is also used to ask permission to start a case, or to join or leave one, for example after a notice of proceedings.
When it is used
At any point while a children case is open, or in connection with a case that has ended. Form C100 says to use C2, not a new C100, for an order in existing proceedings.
Before you start
- The existing case number, if there is one.
- A clear idea of the order or directions you want, written as a draft order.
- Names and dates of birth of the children, and their relationship to each party.
- Contact details for the respondents and anyone else who must be told. Use form C8 for any that must stay private.
- Any written evidence you want to rely on. It must be filed with the application.
- Your Help with Fees reference, if you have one.
How to fill in the C2
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: what the C2 is for
The form covers three things: permission to start proceedings, an order or directions in an existing case, and joining or leaving a case. It also carries a note on the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 rules about questioning in person.
Section 1: summary of application
You name the applicant and respondents and say whether you need permission. You give any existing case number. You list each child and the order you are asking for.
Sections 2 to 4: the people
You give details for the applicants, respondents and others who should be told. If any contact details must stay private, leave them blank and complete form C8. Do not include them in any later document either.
Section 5: solicitor's details
Complete this only if a solicitor acts for you. If you do not have one, tick No.
Section 6: details of application
You briefly explain what you are asking for and why. This box is copied to the other parties. Allegations of harm are usually set out on form C1A rather than here.
Section 7: attending the court
You can ask for an interpreter, disability support and special arrangements, such as a separate waiting room. You can also ask the court for participation directions in a C2 if you are vulnerable.
Section 8: statement of truth
You sign and date it. The contents can be used as evidence only if verified by a statement of truth. False statements can lead to contempt of court proceedings.
Prepare your C2 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 may deal with the application at a hearing, or without one if a hearing is not needed or the parties agree. If the court serves it, the papers go out with the hearing notice and the draft order. If an order is made before you were served, you may apply to set it aside or vary it. You have 7 days from being served with the order.
Common mistakes
- Not attaching a draft order of what you want the court to say.
- Serving the application too late. The rules say at least 7 days before the court deals with it.
- Starting a new C100 when the case is still open and a C2 is the right route.
- Putting confidential contact details in Section 6 or in attached papers.
Common questions
How much does a C2 application cost?
£195 if the other side is told, or £62 if it is by consent or without notice. These apply where no other fee is specified. Help with fees may be available.
Can I use a C2 to change my C100 application?
Yes. GOV.UK says to use form C2 to change an application the court is still considering.
How long before the hearing must I serve a C2?
The rules say as soon as practicable after filing, and at least 7 days before the court deals with the application.
What is the difference between a C2 and a C100?
A C100 starts a new section 8 case. A C2 is for applications inside a case that already exists, including asking to be joined as a party.
Can I ask for special measures at court with a C2?
Yes. During proceedings, the rules say an application for participation directions is made using a C2.
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 C2 (external source, opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: After you apply for a court order (external source, opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Family court fees (EX50) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- FPR 2010 Part 18 (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Practice Direction 18A (external source, opens in a new tab)
- FPR 2010 Part 3A (participation directions) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- FPR 2010 Part 29 (confidential contact details) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- Pinned template C2 (06.26) (external source, opens in a new tab)
- FPR 2010 Part 12 (external source, opens in a new tab)