Court Orders - Children
Parental Responsibilty Order | Residence Order | Contact Order | Prohibited Steps Order | Specific Issue OrderParental Responsibilty Order
Parental responsibility means all the rights, duties, powers, responsibility and authority, which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property. For example if you are the father of a child but you were not married to the child’s mother, nor named on the birth certificate when the child’s birth was registered and you wish to be recognised legally as the child’s father then you may wish to apply for a parental responsibility order.
Residence Order
These orders decide where and with whom the child is to live. For example if you and your partner have separated and you want your child to live with you, but you cannot agree this, then you might apply for a residence order.
Contact Order
These are orders that require the person with whom a child lives to allow that child to visit, stay or have contact with a person named in the order. For example if your child lives with your former partner and you wish to see your child at weekends then you might apply for a contact order, if you cannot agree this between yourselves.
Prohibited Steps Order
These orders mean a person must have the court’s permission before undertaking actions specified in the order, that would normally be undertaken by a parent. For example to require a parent to seek the court’s permission before removing the child from the jurisdiction.
Specific Issue Order
These orders give instructions about a specific issue that has arisen about an action normally undertaken by a parent. For example if you and your former partner cannot agree on whether your child should have a major operation, then you might apply for a specific issue order.
The court can also make orders such as “Care Orders” or “Emergency Protection Orders” where the children are being abused or at risk of harm.
