Source: http://smartleges.com/en/law-library/children-act-1989-1989-c-41/2022176
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 13:16:27+00:00

Document:
An Act to reform the law relating to children; to provide for local authority services for children in need and others; to amend the law with respect to children’s homes, community homes, voluntary homes and voluntary organisations; to make provision with respect to fostering, child minding and day care for young children and adoption; and for connected purposes.
E1 For the extent of the provisions of this Act please see section 108(10)-(12).
C4 Act modified (14.10.1991) by S.I. 1991/2032, art. 3(1).
Act modified (14.10.1991) by S.I. 1991/2032, art. 7(1).
Act extended (E.W.)(30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s. 11(6); S.I. 1998/2327, art.2(1)(c) (subject to arts. 5-8).
C5 By Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), s. 101(1), Sch. 12 para. 23; S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(1), Sch.1 it is provided (14.10.1991) that in relation to any time before the commencement of s. 70 of that 1991 Act (which came into force on 1.10.1992 by S.I. 1992/333, art. 2(2), Sch. 2) references in any enactment amended by that 1991 Act, to youth courts shall be construed as references to juvenile courts.
[F1 (2A) A court, in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (4) (a) or (7) , is as respects each parent within subsection (6) (a) to presume, unless the contrary is shown, that involvement of that parent in the life of the child concerned will further the child's welfare.
(b) the court is considering whether to make, vary or discharge [F2 a special guardianship order or] an order under Part IV.
(1) Where a child’s father and mother were married to each other at the time of his birth, they shall each have parental responsibility for the child.
the child's mother and the other parent shall each have parental responsibility for the child.
(3) References in this Act to a child whose father and mother were, or (as the case may be) were not, married to each other at the time of his birth must be read with section 1 of the M1 Family Law Reform Act 1987 (which extends their meaning).
(4) The rule of law that a father is the natural guardian of his legitimate child is abolished.
(5) More than one person may have parental responsibility for the same child at the same time.
(6) A person who has parental responsibility for a child at any time shall not cease to have that responsibility solely because some other person subsequently acquires parental responsibility for the child.
(7) Where more than one person has parental responsibility for a child, each of them may act alone and without the other (or others) in meeting that responsibility; but nothing in this Part shall be taken to affect the operation of any enactment which requires the consent of more than one person in a matter affecting the child.
(8) The fact that a person has parental responsibility for a child shall not entitle him to act in any way which would be incompatible with any order made with respect to the child under this Act.
(9) A person who has parental responsibility for a child may not surrender or transfer any part of that responsibility to another but may arrange for some or all of it to be met by one or more persons acting on his behalf.
(10) The person with whom any such arrangement is made may himself be a person who already has parental responsibility for the child concerned.
(11) The making of any such arrangement shall not affect any liability of the person making it which may arise from any failure to meet any part of his parental responsibility for the child concerned.
(1) In this Act “parental responsibility” means all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property.
(2) It also includes the rights, powers and duties which a guardian of the child’s estate (appointed, before the commencement of section 5, to act generally) would have had in relation to the child and his property.
(3) The rights referred to in subsection (2) include, in particular, the right of the guardian to receive or recover in his own name, for the benefit of the child, property of whatever description and wherever situated which the child is entitled to receive or recover.
(c) sub-paragraphs (a) , (b) and (c) of Article 14(3) of the Births and Deaths Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 1976.
(b) where regulations are made by the Lord Chancellor prescribing the manner in which such agreements must be recorded, it is recorded in the prescribed manner.
[F10 (2A) A person who has acquired parental responsibility under subsection (1) shall cease to have that responsibility only if the court so orders.
(4) The court may only grant leave under subsection (3) (b) if it is satisfied that the child has sufficient understanding to make the proposed application.
(c) the court, on her application, orders that she shall have parental responsibility for the child.
(c) sub-paragraphs (a) , (b) and (c) of Article 14ZA(3) of the Births and Deaths Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 1976.
(3) The Secretary of State may by order amend subsection (2) so as to add further enactments to the list in that subsection.
(4) An agreement under subsection (1) (b) is also a “parental responsibility agreement”, and section 4(2) applies in relation to such an agreement as it applies in relation to parental responsibility agreements under section 4.
(5) A person who has acquired parental responsibility under subsection (1) shall cease to have that responsibility only if the court so orders.
subject, in the case of parental responsibility acquired under subsection (1) (c) , to section 12(4).
(b) the court may, on the application of the step-parent, order that the step-parent shall have parental responsibility for the child.
(2) An agreement under subsection (1) (a) is also a “parental responsibility agreement”, and section 4(2) applies in relation to such agreements as it applies in relation to parental responsibility agreements under section 4.
(b) with the leave of the court, of the child himself.
(2) The power conferred by subsection (1) may also be exercised in any family proceedings if the court considers that the order should be made even though no application has been made for it.
(3) A parent who has parental responsibility for his child may appoint another individual to be the child’s guardian in the event of his death.
(4) A guardian of a child may appoint another individual to take his place as the child’s guardian in the event of his death [F16 ; and a special guardian of a child may appoint another individual to be the child’s guardian in the event of his death] .
(b) in any other case, is signed at the direction of the person making the appointment, in his presence and in the presence of two witnesses who each attest the signature.
(6) A person appointed as a child’s guardian under this section shall have parental responsibility for the child concerned.
(9) Subsections (1) and (7) do not apply if the [F19 child arrangements] order referred to in paragraph (b) of those subsections [F20 also named] a surviving parent of the child [F21 as a person with whom the child was to live] .
(10) Nothing in this section shall be taken to prevent an appointment under subsection (3) or (4) being made by two or more persons acting jointly.
(11) Subject to any provision made by rules of court, no court shall exercise the High Court’s inherent jurisdiction to appoint a guardian of the estate of any child.
(12) Where rules of court are made under subsection (11) they may prescribe the circumstances in which, and conditions subject to which, an appointment of such a guardian may be made.
(13) A guardian of a child may only be appointed in accordance with the provisions of this section.
I5 S. 5 except s. 5(11)(12) in force at 14.10.1991 by S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2) and s. 5(11)(12) wholly in force 1.2.1992 by S.I. 1991/828, art. 3 as amended by S.I. 1991/1990, art. 2.
(1) An appointment under section 5(3) or (4) revokes an earlier such appointment (including one made in an unrevoked will or codicil) made by the same person in respect of the same child, unless it is clear (whether as the result of an express provision in the later appointment or by any necessary implication) that the purpose of the later appointment is to appoint an additional guardian.
(b) at his direction, in his presence and in the presence of two witnesses who each attest the signature.
(b) has some other person destroy that instrument in his presence.
(4) For the avoidance of doubt, an appointment under section 5(3) or (4) made in a will or codicil is revoked if the will or codicil is revoked.
(5) A person who is appointed as a guardian under section 5(3) or (4) may disclaim his appointment by an instrument in writing signed by him and made within a reasonable time of his first knowing that the appointment has taken effect.
(6) Where regulations are made by the Lord Chancellor prescribing the manner in which such disclaimers must be recorded, no such disclaimer shall have effect unless it is recorded in the prescribed manner.
(c) in any family proceedings, if the court considers that it should be brought to an end even though no application has been made.
to report to the court on such matters relating to the welfare of that child as are required to be dealt with in the report.
(2) The Lord Chancellor may [F26 , after consulting the Lord Chief Justice,] make regulations specifying matters which, unless the court orders otherwise, must be dealt with in any report under this section.
(3) The report may be made in writing, or orally, as the court requires.
in so far as the statement or evidence is, in the opinion of the court, relevant to the question which it is considering.
(5) It shall be the duty of the authority or [F24 officer of the Service] [F25 or a Welsh family proceedings officer] to comply with any request for a report under this section.
(1) In this Act — "[F29 child arrangements order" means an order regulating arrangements relating to any of the following— (a) with whom a child is to live, spend time or otherwise have contact, and (b) when a child is to live, spend time or otherwise have contact with any person;] F30 ... “a prohibited steps order” means an order that no step which could be taken by a parent in meeting his parental responsibility for a child, and which is of a kind specified in the order, shall be taken by any person without the consent of the court; F30 ... “a specific issue order” means an order giving directions for the purpose of determining a specific question which has arisen, or which may arise, in connection with any aspect of parental responsibility for a child.
(2) In this Act “a section 8 order” means any of the orders mentioned in subsection (1) and any order varying or discharging such an order.
but does not include proceedings on an application for leave under section 100(3).
(g) Part III of the M7 Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984.
(1) No court shall make any section 8 order, other than a [F36 child arrangements order to which subsection (6B) applies] , with respect to a child who is in the care of a local authority.
(2) No application may be made by a local authority for a [F37 child arrangements] order and no court shall make such an order in favour of a local authority.
(c) the child has lived with him for at least [F38 one year] preceding the application.
(4) F39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(b) in any way which is denied to the High Court (by section 100(2) ) in the exercise of its inherent jurisdiction with respect to children.
(6) [F42 No court shall make a [F43 section 8] order ] which will end after the child has reached the age of sixteen unless it is satisfied that the circumstances of the case are exceptional.
[F44 (6A) Subsection (6) does not apply to a child arrangements order to which subsection (6B) applies.
(7) No court shall make any section 8 order, other than one varying or discharging such an order, with respect to a child who has reached the age of sixteen unless it is satisfied that the circumstances of the case are exceptional.

References: art. 3
 art. 7
 art.2
 art. 2
 art. 2
 art. 3
 art. 3
 art. 2