A person with parental responsibility is responsible for the care and wellbeing of their child. Section 3 of the Children Act 1989 explains parental responsibility as “All the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority, which by law a parent has in relation to the child…”
Unless a court order says something different, a person with parental responsibility can make important decisions about a child’s life. For example:
- Providing a home for the child
- Protecting and caring for the child
- Consenting to the child’s medical or dental treatment.
Only through a court order can children’s services share parental responsibility for a child.
See our A-Z entry for Parental responsibility for more information.