C100 Form for Grandparents: How to Apply for a Child Arrangements Order

What Form C100 Is and Why Grandparents Need It

Form C100 is the application form you use to ask the Family Court in England or Wales for a child arrangements order under the Children Act 1989. It covers "lives with" orders (where the child lives with you full-time) and "spends time with" orders (regular contact). If you are a grandparent who has been caring for a grandchild and need the court to make that arrangement legally binding, C100 is where you start.

Unlike parents, grandparents do not have an automatic right to apply. Most grandparents need to ask the court for permission (leave) to make the application — and the C100 form has a dedicated section where you do this. Submitting the permission request on the same form means you pay a single £270 fee, not a double fee.

Who Can Skip the Permission Step

You can apply directly — without needing the court's permission — if any of these apply:

• The child has lived with you for at least one continuous year immediately before you apply (Section 10(5B) of the Children Act 1989)
• The child has lived with you for at least three years in total within the last five years, and the period ended no more than three months before your application (Section 10(5)(b))
• Every person who holds parental responsibility for the child has given written consent to your application

If none of these apply, you request permission in the dedicated section of the C100. The court will look at your connection with the child, the nature of the order you want, and whether the application could cause disruption.

How to Fill in Form C100

You can apply online through the GOV.UK portal or download the paper form. Both routes ask for the same information.

Child's details — full legal name, date of birth, current address, and a five-year address history listing everyone the child has lived with. The child's birth certificate or passport can help verify these details.

Your details — full name, date of birth, your relationship to the child, and your own five-year address history. If revealing your address would put you or the child at risk, file Form C8 alongside the C100 to keep your contact details confidential.

Respondents — everyone who holds parental responsibility for the child. This usually means both biological parents, even if one is absent. If a parent's address is unknown, you will need to apply separately (via Form C2) for directions on tracing or substituted service.

Permission section — if you need the court's leave, explain why you are applying, describe your relationship with the child, and set out the living arrangement you are asking for. Be factual and specific. Mention how long the child has lived with you, how often you see the child, and what the child's current situation is.

MIAM certification — either the mediator signs the form after your Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting, or you self-certify an exemption (domestic abuse, child protection concerns, urgency, or a previous MIAM within four months).

Form C1A — if there are any allegations of domestic abuse, child abuse, or risk of abduction, you must file this supplementary form alongside the C100. Even if the abuse is historical, it needs to be declared.

Fee payment — the court fee is £270. If you are on a low income or receiving qualifying benefits (Universal Credit with gross earned income under £6,000, Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA, or Guarantee Pension Credit), apply for fee remission using Form EX160 or the online Help with Fees service. You receive a reference code to enter on the C100.

Online vs Paper Application

The online route through GOV.UK is faster. The portal walks you through each section, lets you upload supporting documents, and routes the application to the right court automatically. You receive an electronic confirmation once the application is issued.

For a paper application, download Form C100, complete it by hand, print the original plus three copies, attach your fee payment or EX160 reference, and post or deliver it to your local Family Court.

What Happens After You Submit

Once the court accepts your C100, it sends a copy to Cafcass (or Cafcass Cymru in Wales) for safeguarding checks. Cafcass will contact you and the respondents by phone to conduct initial risk screening. The court then schedules a First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointment (FHDRA), usually within a few weeks.

If you requested permission, the court decides at or before the FHDRA whether to grant leave. If permission is granted, the case proceeds to a substantive hearing. If you qualified for direct application, the case moves straight to the FHDRA.

Our Child Arrangements Order Process Guide covers the entire journey from C100 to final order, including checklists for every form and preparation templates for Cafcass calls and court hearings.

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