At First Law Solicitors, we provide specialist representation in disputes concerning children’s upbringing through Specific Issue Orders (SIOs). These orders allow the Family Court to decide a single, clearly defined question when parents cannot reach an agreement on education and medical care to relocation or religious matters.
Based in Manchester and advising clients across England and Wales, our firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA ID No: 665823). Each application is handled by a senior solicitor with more than twenty years of post-qualification experience in complex parental disputes, child protection, and injunction proceedings.
A Specific Issue Order is made under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989. It empowers the court to determine a particular matter concerning a child’s welfare when parents or guardians cannot agree. These issues often involve which school a child should attend, whether a child can receive medical treatment, or whether they may relocate within the UK or abroad.
Unlike a Prohibited Steps Order, which restricts a parent from acting, a Specific Issue Order provides permission for a defined course of action. The order’s purpose is not to allocate blame but to ensure decisions are made in the child’s best interests.
These disputes commonly arise when parents disagree about education, health, or travel arrangements. For example, one parent may wish to move abroad for employment, while the other opposes relocation. Similarly, disagreements may occur over religious upbringing or medical procedures.
In such cases, the court considers the child’s welfare as its paramount concern, guided by the Section 1(3) Welfare Checklist of the Children Act. Judges assess the child’s wishes and feelings (depending on age and understanding), their emotional and educational needs, and the potential impact of any change in circumstances.
At First Law Solicitors, we prepare a clear evidential record demonstrating how your proposed decision supports your child’s welfare. We ensure the court sees that your position is both reasonable and child-focused.
Applications for Specific Issue Orders are governed by the Children Act 1989 and the Family Procedure Rules, most recently updated by the Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2025, which will come into full effect across 2026. These amendments modernise the process by strengthening confidentiality, improving digital access, and streamlining appeals.
Where domestic abuse or coercive control is alleged, the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (and the 2024 Regulations) ensures that risk assessments and safeguarding measures are prioritised before the court determines the issue. The court will also consider any existing Prohibited Steps Orders, Child Arrangements Orders, or Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) to ensure consistent and safe outcomes.
We begin with an initial consultation and risk assessment, identifying whether your dispute qualifies for mediation or requires immediate court action. While many cases are resolved through mediation or negotiation, where agreement is impossible, we prepare and submit your C100 application digitally via the MyHMCTS Portal.
All documentation is carefully drafted to align with the latest digital standards and verified for accuracy. While the Family Court accepts standard digital signatures through MyHMCTS, our firm uses Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES)internally for enhanced document integrity.
Once the application is filed, the court lists a hearing date, and CAFCASS conducts safeguarding checks and produces a Section 7 Report if necessary. This report evaluates the child’s circumstances and assists the court in making its decision.
Throughout the process, our solicitors ensure that your evidence, including correspondence, school records, and expert reports, is presented clearly and persuasively.
Education disputes often arise where parents disagree about school choice or curriculum type, especially following a separation. Courts generally prefer continuity but will intervene where a child’s welfare is clearly enhanced by change.
In relocation cases, the court balances the moving parent’s right to establish a new life against the potential disruption to the child’s relationship with the other parent. Our solicitors present detailed relocation plans covering housing, schooling, and family connections to demonstrate the viability and safety of the proposal.
Medical treatment disputes require particular care, as the court must consider expert medical evidence, parental beliefs, and the child’s best interests. We handle such cases with discretion and sensitivity, ensuring all professional opinions are properly represented.
In urgent circumstances such as a parent threatening to remove a child from the UK without consent or withholding critical medical treatment, we act immediately. Our team can file an urgent without notice application, often securing an interim order within hours.
Where international removal is involved, we work alongside the Tipstaff and utilise Port Alerts and Hague Convention mechanisms to protect the child’s welfare and ensure compliance.
A Specific Issue Order remains effective until the court determines otherwise or until the child reaches sixteen, or eighteen in special cases. It can be varied, extended, or discharged if circumstances change.
We provide ongoing support, ensuring that any modification or enforcement is handled efficiently and sensitively. Where new disputes arise, our digital case management system allows for fast re-engagement without starting from scratch.
Following the completion of the HMCTS Reform Programme in 2025, all private family law cases are now fully processed through digital systems. This means applications, hearings, and judgments are handled electronically under enhanced confidentiality protocols introduced by the Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2025.
At First Law Solicitors, we go further. Our in-house Predictive Case Modelling tool analyses past judicial outcomes to anticipate likely scenarios helping clients plan strategy and timelines effectively. This is a firm-specific analytical system designed to enhance preparation and transparency.
All data is managed under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, ensuring compliance with modern data ethics and safeguarding principles.
We deliver more than representation; we deliver resolution. Our work is guided by three principles: Protection, Precision, and Permanence.
Protection means safeguarding your child’s welfare while preventing avoidable conflict.
Precision reflects our commitment to exacting legal and procedural accuracy in every submission.
Permanence means achieving decisions that provide stability and minimise future disputes.
Clients choose us for our discretion, our experience in high-conflict cases, and our ability to combine empathy with authority.
If you are in dispute about your child’s schooling, medical care, or relocation, contact First Law Solicitors today. We provide calm, confidential, and effective legal representation that focuses on outcomes, not confrontation.
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