When a marriage or a relationship breaks down, and a child is involved, then the child’s welfare and well-being become paramount in any agreement or court order. Parental responsibility and child arrangement order outline the living arrangements and other matters concerning the child’s future and upbringing. After divorce or separation, the law governing the child’s arrangement is the Children Act 1989 amended by the Children and Families Act 2014.
What is Parental Responsibility?
Parental responsibility is defined as the rights and responsibilities of parents concerning their child. Parental responsibility includes the following meaning in relation to the custody of the child:
- A person with parental responsibility has all the rights and responsibilities of a child that a parent normally has. This includes being consulted on important matters of the child’s upbringing, such as religion, school preference, and medical care.
- The child arrangement order states that the parent with whom the child lives should be able to take day-to-day decisions without getting affected by anyone.
- Even if a parent has parental responsibilities, they have no automatic right to contact or be informed about the child’s place of residence.
Who has Parental Responsibility?
Parental responsibility is automatically assumed by:
- Biological mothers, whether married or unmarried
- Married fathers
If you are confused about whether you have parental responsibilities or not, then connect with the child arrangement solicitors in London. Our Child custody lawyers will guide you through the application process and help you obtain parental responsibility.
How to Obtain Parental Responsibility?
If you do not automatically have your child’s parental responsibility, you can acquire it with the help of child arrangement order lawyers. You can get it through adoption, appointment as a guardian, or being named as a resident parent within a child arrangement order.
What is a Child Arrangement Order?
It is an arrangement of residence and finances of the child in relation to the parental responsibilities of the parents. It arranges where the child would live and how much time they would spend with the non-residential parent. It specifies the following things:
- The time and day that the child will spend with the non-resident parent.
- The time that the child will spend with the non-resident parent during school holidays and whether that includes foreign travel.
- Any issues relating to the arrangements for handovers.
There are four types of arrangement that a court can decide about child custody and the financial provisions for their upbringing:
- Residence: Arranging where and with whom the child will reside.
- Contact: Arranging the frequency and duration of contact with the non-residential parent. The order also specifies if the contact is allowed through text, e-mails, or phone.
- Specific Issue: This order imposes specific conditions on important matters of a child’s upbringing, such as school, religion, and medical cover.
- Prohibited Steps: This order issues things that can’t be done with respect to the child’s future and wellbeing. It forbids a parent from doing things such as changing the child’s surname without the other parent’s consent or removing a child from the jurisdiction.
Got any Queries?
Disputes over childcare and custody can become emotionally challenging. If you are concerned with your child’s arrangement, custody, and responsibility, then immediately seek advice from child arrangement order lawyers at Osbourne Pinner. Our child custody lawyers help prepare a strong case for the court and help finalize a favourable agreement with or without the court order.
