Parental Responsibility
(PR)
All the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities, and authority that a parent has by law in respect of a child (section 3 Children Act 1989). Mothers automatically have PR from birth. Fathers have PR if married to the mother at birth, named on the birth certificate (post-Dec 2003), or by court order/PR agreement.
PR covers major decisions about the child's life: education, medical treatment, religion, change of name, foreign travel. Day-to-day decisions can be made by anyone with care of the child (e.g. step-parent, grandparent). Up to 4 people can hold PR jointly. PR can be acquired by Step-Parent Parental Responsibility Order, Special Guardianship Order, adoption, or by section 4 PR Agreement (mother + father consent on prescribed form). A child of married parents who divorce: both parents retain PR. A child in care under section 31: the council shares PR with the parents.
Related terms
Related guides
Parental Responsibility
Parental responsibility (PR) is the legal term for all the rights, duties, powers, and responsibilities that a parent has in relation to a child and their property. Having parental responsibility gives you a say in major decisions about your child's life — including education, medical treatment, and where they live. Not all parents automatically have it.
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Child Arrangements Orders
A Child Arrangements Order (CAO) is a court order setting out the arrangements for where a child lives and how much time they spend with each parent or other person. They replaced the old residence and contact orders in 2014. The family court encourages parents to agree arrangements without court intervention, and before making an application you must attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) in most cases. The court's primary concern in every case is the welfare of the child.
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