Special Guardianship Forms in Wales: C1, C13A, C2 and C100 Explained

Which Form You Need Depends on What You Are Applying For

The Family Court uses a specific form for each type of application. Getting the wrong one wastes time and can delay your case by weeks. Here is what each form does and when you need it.

Form C1 — Standalone SGO Application

Form C1 is the application for a Special Guardianship Order under Section 14A of the Children Act 1989. You use this form when the SGO is your primary application — you are not already involved in other family court proceedings about the child.

You must normally have already given the relevant Welsh local authority three months' written notice before filing Form C1. If the child is subject to a placement order and an adoption application has been made, the court can grant leave for a competing SGO application without the three-month wait; written notice is still required. The form asks for details about the child, your relationship to the child, the child's current living arrangements, and the names and addresses of everyone with parental responsibility.

The current court filing fee is £270 (July 2026 HMCTS schedule).

Form C13A — Supplemental Statement

Form C13A accompanies your C1 application. It is the annex where you set out the detailed welfare information the court needs: your personal history, relationship with the child, the child's health and educational needs, your proposed contact arrangements with birth parents, and any other matters relevant to the child's wellbeing.

Judges rely heavily on the C13A statement alongside the local authority's assessment report. Be thorough and factual — this is where you explain why a Special Guardianship Order is in the child's best interests.

Form C2 — Application for Court Permission

Not everyone can apply for an SGO as of right. If you do not meet an automatic eligibility category — for example, you are a relative who has been caring for the child for less than one year and no other category applies — you need the court's permission first.

Form C2 is the application for leave (permission) to apply. The court will consider your connection to the child, the merits of your intended application, and whether granting leave could disrupt the child's life. If leave is granted, you then proceed with Form C1.

Form C2 is also used to make other applications within existing proceedings, such as requesting the court to join you as a party or to vary contact directions.

Form C100 — Child Arrangements Order

Form C100 is for applications under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989 — typically a Child Arrangements Order specifying who the child lives with or spends time with. You cannot use Form C100 to apply for a Special Guardianship Order.

However, some kinship carers apply for a live-with Child Arrangements Order instead of (or as a stepping stone toward) an SGO. If you are pursuing a CAO rather than an SGO, C100 is the correct form. You will also need to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) before filing a C100, unless a statutory exemption applies.

Form FM1 — MIAM Exemption

If you are filing a C100 for a Child Arrangements Order and believe you qualify for a MIAM exemption — for example, because of domestic abuse, safeguarding risks, or exceptional urgency — Form FM1 is where you confirm the exemption category. MIAM requirements do not apply in the same way to standalone SGO applications filed on Form C1.

Form EX160 — Help with Fees

The £270 court fee can be reduced or waived entirely if you are on a low income or receiving qualifying benefits. Form EX160 is the application for fee remission. You submit it alongside your C1 or C100 application with evidence of your income or benefit status. Qualifying benefits include Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, and Universal Credit if you earn less than £6,000 a year.

Submit the EX160 at the same time as your application. Court staff process the fee-help request alongside it and tell you if you still need to pay anything.

Where to Get the Forms

All forms are available free of charge from GOV.UK and HMCTS. Welsh-language bilingual versions are also available. You can file at any Family Court hearing centre in Wales — including Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Mold and Wrexham — or electronically where the court supports online filing.

Putting It All Together

The Kinship Care in Wales guide covers which forms you need for your specific situation, how to complete the welfare sections, and how the forms connect to the three-month local authority notice and the support plan assessment.

See more Wales guides →