Parental Responsibility in England and Wales: Definition, Who Holds It, and Routes via Registration, Agreement or Court Orders

Published by a LexisNexis Family expert

Precedents

This document offers general guidance on parental responsibility for a child. Your family lawyer will be able to give specific advice tailored to your circumstances.

What is parental responsibility?

Parental responsibility is defined in law by the Children Act 1989 as all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority that a parent holds in relation to a child and the child’s property. Anyone who has parental responsibility is entitled to be involved in significant decisions concerning the child, including:

where the child is to live
which school they should attend
whether the child should follow any religion (if at all)
the name the child should use
consenting to or refusing medical treatment
managing the child’s money or property

Parental responsibility does not allow a person to interfere with ordinary, day-to-day choices such as clothing, hobbies, or preferred TV programmes. Generally, parental responsibility continues until the child turns 18, although it may end earlier if the child is adopted...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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