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GOV.UK guidance

MyHMCTS: How to apply for a family public law order

Published 2022-11-18Last updated 2026-09-03

Use these guides to help with a family public law application using the MyHMCTS online service. You can you this service to apply for:

  • care orders and interim care orders
  • supervision orders and interim supervision orders
  • emergency protection orders
  • other orders under Part 4 of the Children Act 1989

If you a respondent’s legal representative, read our guidance on how to respond to a family public law order application.

If you are an intermediary, you cannot access MyHMCTS. The local authority will send you any court documents directly as required.

Before you start

Before you start, you might want to read the following MyHMCTS guidance: