Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Parental responsibility definition

What does Parental responsibility mean? Parental responsibility describes the bundle of legal rights, duties, powers and authority to make significant decisions for a child and to manage the child’s property. In England and Wales it is defined by section 3 Children Act 1989; in Northern Ireland by Article 6 Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995. In Scotland, the equivalent concept is parental responsibilities and parental rights (PRRs) under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. In Ireland, the cognate term is guardianship under the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 (as amended, including by the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015). Parental responsibility typically covers consent to medical...

Private fostering under the Children Act 1989: definitions, disqualifications, notifications, and local authority duties and powers (England and Wales)

Published by a LexisNexis Family expert

Practice notes

The statutory framework for private fostering is set out in Part IX of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989). In England, the applicable regulations are the Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005 (C(PAF)R 2005), SI 2005/1533, and in Wales they are the Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) (Wales) Regulations 2006 (C(PAF)(W)R 2006), SI 2006/940.

Meaning of ‘privately fostered child’

A ‘privately fostered child’ is a child under 16, or under 18 if disabled, who is looked after and housed by a person who:

is neither a parent nor a relative of the child
does not hold parental responsibility for the child, and
cares for the child within their own home

However, a child will not be regarded as privately fostered where the care and accommodation lasts for fewer than 28 days and there is no intention that the arrangement should continue for a longer period...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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