Specific Issue Order

If you and your ex-partner have different views on your child’s upbringing or wellbeing, you can apply to the court for permission to take a certain course of action.

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What is a Specific Issue Order?

A specific issue order is a formal declaration that the parent is allowed to take a particular action that affects their child.

It might be a decision about:

Where the child goes to school
Whether or not they should have a religious education
Decisions about medical treatment or surgery for the child
Taking the child abroad temporarily or permanently.

If both parents (or people with parental responsibility) have strong, but opposing views on these decisions, then a court can resolve the dispute and grant one party the right to take action.

What’s the process?

The child’s mother, or father, or anyone with parental responsibility can apply for the court order. If there’s already a child arrangement order in place, then anyone named on that order can also apply.

The process is fairly straightforward:

1. Attend a mediation. Usually you will have to attend a mediation before you can apply to court.

2. We file the application and the witness statement at court.

3. You pay the filing fee of £232

4. Together, we attend court for a hearing. The judge will probably ask you to prepare a witness statement explaining your reasons for seeking the order.

In some cases, we’ll try mediation first. It can be a good idea when both parties are willing to talk and the matter isn’t urgent. If you can agree a way forward at mediation then you won’t have to go to court.

Frequently asked questions

Most court orders will usually come to an end automatically when the child is 16. Sometimes it is extended until the child is 18.

A specific issue order will resolve one particular area of disagreement, and so will only last until the particular action has been carried out. If you have further disputes, you would need to apply again.

Usually it’s one of the child’s parents who applies for the order, but it can be anyone with parental responsibility, or anybody named on an existing Child Arrangement Order.

Anyone without parental responsibility will need permission from the court before they apply for the order.

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If you think you might need to apply for a Specific Issue Order, please get in touch. We'll give you a free 45-minute consultation to discuss it. Simply book your consultation at your nearest office and we will talk you through your options.

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Awards & Recognitions

We’re recognised by the Legal 500 as a Leading Firm in a number of practice areas. That means that an external, objective body has scrutinised our competency and client reviews, and found us to be one of the top family law practices in the UK.

Our lawyers are members of Resolution, so we are committed to a Code of Practice which promotes a constructive approach to family issues that considers the needs of the whole family.