At First Law Solicitors, we provide fast, strategic legal action to protect children through Prohibited Steps Orders (PSOs). These orders prevent a parent or guardian from taking specific actions involving a child without the court’s consent. Whether you are facing the risk of unauthorised relocation, unilateral decisions about education, or exposure to harm, our solicitors act decisively to secure immediate protection.
Based in Manchester and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA ID No: 665823), our firm represents parents and guardians across England and Wales. Each PSO application is personally overseen by a senior solicitor with more than twenty years of post-qualification experience in complex child protection and family injunctions.
A Prohibited Steps Order is a court order made under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989. It restricts a parent or individual with parental responsibility from carrying out specific actions involving a child, such as removing the child from the UK, changing their school or surname, making medical decisions unilaterally, or exposing the child to risk.
The order’s purpose is protective, not punitive. It ensures that no major decisions affecting a child’s welfare are made without the knowledge or permission of both parents, or without judicial oversight.
Parents usually seek a PSO when they believe a child’s welfare is threatened or when significant decisions are being made without mutual agreement. Common examples include one parent planning international travel without consent, enrolling a child in a new school without discussion, or introducing them to an unsafe environment.
In genuine emergencies, our solicitors can apply for an urgent without notice order (ex parte), allowing the court to act immediately. Interim protection can often be granted the same day, preventing escalation until a full hearing takes place.
The Children Act 1989 remains the governing statute. While there have been no fundamental changes to the PSO provisions, courts now apply the Act through the lens of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, reinforced by the 2024 regulations that strengthen safeguarding in cases involving coercive control, harassment, or abuse. These measures ensure that child welfare assessments are trauma-informed and that victims are protected throughout the process.
The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2025, scheduled for staged implementation through 2026, further modernise the process by increasing the confidentiality of personal information and simplifying appeals.
The Welfare Checklist under Section 1(3) of the Children Act remains the court’s guiding principle. Judges must consider the child’s needs, wishes, risk of harm, and the capacity of each parent to meet those needs before granting any PSO.
Our approach begins with a clear risk assessment and evidence review. Once we establish that a PSO is necessary, we prepare and file your application digitally through MyHMCTS, ensuring accuracy and immediate acknowledgement.
While the Family Court accepts typed digital signatures through the portal (rather than Qualified Electronic Signatures being mandatory), our firm uses QES for internal verification, ensuring every submission is authenticated and traceable.
After filing, the court lists an initial hearing often within days for non-urgent cases, or within hours for emergencies. If a temporary PSO is granted, it provides immediate legal protection. The case is then reviewed after CAFCASS completes its safeguarding checks and prepares a report. At the final hearing, the court decides whether to make the order permanent, vary it, or replace it with another arrangement such as a Child Arrangements Order.
Where abduction or relocation is suspected, we can coordinate immediate Port Alerts and liaise directly with the Tipstaffto prevent the child’s removal from the country. If an abduction has already occurred, we take urgent steps under the Hague Convention 1980 to secure the child’s safe return.
In cases involving domestic abuse, we can seek PSOs alongside Non-Molestation Orders or Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) introduced under the 2024 Regulations. This ensures a multi-layered approach to protection, balancing safety, confidentiality, and procedural fairness.
A Prohibited Steps Order generally remains effective until the child turns sixteen, or in some cases eighteen, unless varied or discharged earlier. If the order is breached, the court may impose sanctions including fines, enforcement orders, or committal for contempt of court.
Our team maintains ongoing oversight once a PSO is made, ensuring compliance and taking enforcement action where necessary. We also assist in reviewing and varying orders as family circumstances evolve, ensuring that the protective framework remains appropriate and proportionate.
By late 2025, the HMCTS Reform Programme had established a stable digital infrastructure for private family law. Most PSO applications are now processed entirely online through the MyHMCTS system and CAFCASS Digital Platform, allowing faster listing and secure evidence exchange.
Our firm operates a proprietary system that uses Predictive Case Modelling not as a judicial tool, but as an internal case-analysis resource. Drawing on anonymised data and previous case outcomes, it helps us estimate likely timelines and judicial approaches so that clients can plan strategically.
All evidence is handled through encrypted channels and stored in compliance with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, which now governs how safeguarding data and personal information can be processed for the protection of children.
At First Law Solicitors, we combine immediate responsiveness with deep procedural mastery. Our clients trust us because we deliver decisive action under pressure, paired with measured, strategic planning for long-term stability.
We focus on three principles: Protection, ensuring your child’s immediate safety; Precision, achieving procedural accuracy in every filing; and Permanence, crafting orders that provide lasting peace of mind.
Our service is discreet, data-secure, and fully adapted to the digital Family Court of 2026.
If you believe your child is at risk or important decisions are being made without your consent, contact First Law Solicitors today. Our solicitors provide calm, confidential, and authoritative representation in urgent and sensitive child protection cases.
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