Court orders regarding children
This section is for orders regarding children born while their parents were married.
Along with your divorce order and any application for financial provision, there may also be the matter of any children of the marriage for which arrangements must be made.
It is always best if you can come to an amicable agreement with the other parent regarding any children. This can save time and money, as well as causing the least amount of distress to the child(ren).
However there are times when you may need the court to make an order over any issues or disagreements you may have with the children.
These are the orders than can be applied for:
| Form | Type of Order | Description | Links | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Contact Order | These are orders that require the person with whom a child lives to allow that child to visit, stay or have contact with a person named in the order. For example if your child lives with your former partner and you wish to see your child at weekends then you might apply for a contact order, if you cannot agree this between yourselves. | Word doc | |
| C1 | Residence Order | These orders decide where and with whom the child is to live. For example if you and your partner have separated and you want your child to live with you, but you cannot agree this, then you might apply for a residence order. | Word doc | |
| C1 | Specific Issue Order | These orders give instructions about a specific issue that has arisen about an action normally undertaken by a parent. For example if you and your former partner cannot agree on whether your child should have a major operation, then you might apply for a specific issue order. The court can also make orders such as “Care Orders” or “Emergency Protection Orders” where the children are being abused or at risk of harm. | Word doc | |
| C1 | Prohibited Steps Order | These orders mean a person must have the court’s permission before undertaking actions specified in the order that would normally be undertaken by a parent. For example to require a parent to seek the court’s permission before removing the child from the jurisdiction. | Word doc | |
| C1 | Appointment of a Guardian | An order appointing a person who will take over parental responsibility for the child. E.g. after the death of a parent. | Word doc | |
Applications for orders regarding children can become lengthy and complex. It is highly recommended that you seek legal advice before starting an application if you intend to do it without an advocate.
Before you complete any form, you should read it through carefully and you should always state clearly what you are applying for.
Please note that the court staff cannot help you to decide what to put on the forms, or give you any advice about your case. The court always recommend if you are unsure of the relevant acts/rules which relate to applications, or have queries regarding the contents of applications you should seek legal advice and/or contact a Manx advocate. The names of Manx advocates who are Family Law practitioners may be obtained from the Isle of Man Law Society.