How we help
Personal Support Across Every Area of Child Custody
Prohibited steps order cases tend to move quickly, and there isn’t always enough time to weigh up your options. With more than 25,000 court room hours behind us, McKenzie Picave can help you understand what needs to happen and how quickly.
Child Arrangement Order
Setting out where your child lives and who they spend time with. We will guide you through the process from your first application onwards.
Parental Alienation
If a child’s relationship with you is being undermined, McKenzie Picave helps you gather the evidence the court wants to see.
Cafcass Guide
Learn what Cafcass does, the questions they may ask and how to properly prepare for their involvement.
Specific Issue Order
For when you and the other parent can’t agree on a decision about your child’s upbringing, such as their education.
Parental Responsibility
What parental responsibility means, who automatically holds it and how to apply for it if you don’t.
Grandparents’ Rights
Contact with a grandchild isn’t automatic. If you don’t have contact with your grandchild, we can explain the options available to you.
Prohibited Steps Order: Urgent Applications and Cost
If you believe something is about to happen that cannot be undone, waiting for the full prohibited steps process may not be possible. However, you don’t always have to. In genuine emergencies, you can apply without informing the other parent first. This is known as a without notice hearing, and a judge will then be able to grant a temporary court order the same day. The other parent will then have the chance to respond shortly after. Courts only use this process when there is a genuine risk, so it helps to have someone beside you who knows how to clearly display that risk.
Costs shouldn’t be the reason you hesitate to protect your child. A prohibited steps order uses the same C100 form as a child arrangements order; help may be available if you are on a low income or receive certain benefits. Solicitor and barrister costs can climb quickly, especially if the hearing is on short notice. This is where having McKenzie Picave beside you, rather than a solicitor, makes the biggest difference.
Considered insights on the law that affects you
That Family Law Guy: Unfiltered
Our founder’s podcast and articles unpack the legal issues we see most often in non-legal jargon.
You Don’t Have to Face This Alone
At McKenzie Picave, we are with you at every stage, whether you are weighing up an urgent application or preparing for a hearing. We are here to help you understand the prohibited steps order process and what it will realistically achieve for your family.
Contact Us
Confidential, no-obligation consultation
For more information or to request a callback, please fill in the form below. A member of our team will respond shortly.
Tell us what’s happening and what you need.
We help you organise documents, write statements and know what to expect.
We are by your side for every hearing and every step after.
FAQs
What is a prohibited steps order?
A prohibited steps order is a family court order that stops a parent from taking a specific action that will affect a child. These actions include relocating them abroad or changing their school, without the other parent’s agreement or the court’s permission.
How quickly can I get a prohibited steps order?
In a genuine emergency, you are able to speed up the prohibited steps order process. They can be granted the same day through a without notice hearing. However, the court will only act this quickly where the risk to the child is immediate and genuine; this means you need specific, strong evidence.
Can a McKenzie Friend help with an urgent application?
Yes. At McKenzie Picave we can help you prepare your evidence, advise on the situation, offer our opinion and support and even sit beside you at the hearing. So while we can’t directly address the judge, we can still offer support throughout the process.
What happens if the other parent ignores the order?
If the other parent breaches a prohibited steps order, the courts take this extremely seriously. You can apply for an enforcement order to address the breach. The court will then look closely at why it happened before deciding on the next steps to take.
Recent articles
Stay informed with the latest insights, updates, and guidance from the team at McKenzie Picave. Our recent articles cover topics across family court proceedings, legal support, mediation, and real-life issues affecting individuals and families today.
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