Guardianship of children
Overview of guardianship
What is guardianship?
Care of Children Act 2004, s 15
Being a guardian of a child means having all duties, powers, rights and responsibilities that a parent has in bringing up the child.
What are a guardian’s responsibilities?
Care of Children Act 2004, s 16
A guardian’s responsibilities include:
- providing day-to-day care for the child
- contributing to the child’s intellectual, emotional, physical, social, cultural and other personal development
- helping to make, or helping the child to make, the important decisions in a child’s life. These include decisions about:
- the child’s name (and any changes to it)
- where and with whom the child lives
- medical treatment for the child
- where and how the child will be educated
- the child’s culture, language, and religion.
