{"id":93,"date":"2025-12-05T06:10:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T06:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/?page_id=93"},"modified":"2025-12-17T07:20:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T07:20:06","slug":"parental-responsibility","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/courts\/family\/parental-responsibility\/","title":{"rendered":"Parental Responsibility"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull banner\" style=\"padding-top:4vh;padding-right:3vw;padding-bottom:4vh;padding-left:3vw;min-height:450px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1669\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-690 size-full\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/12\/family-court-1.jpg\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/12\/family-court-1.jpg 2500w, https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/12\/family-court-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/12\/family-court-1-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/12\/family-court-1-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/12\/family-court-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/12\/family-court-1-2048x1367.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-90 has-background-dim wp-block-cover__gradient-background has-background-gradient\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(90deg,rgb(0,0,0) 0%,rgba(0,0,0,0) 100%)\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-cover-is-layout-7ca5745e wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"yoast-breadcrumbs\"><span><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/\">Home<\/a><\/span> \u00bb <span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/courts\/\">Courts<\/a><\/span> \u00bb <span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/courts\/family\/\">Family Proceedings<\/a><\/span> \u00bb <span class=\"breadcrumb_last\" aria-current=\"page\">Parental Responsibility<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h1 class=\"wp-block-post-title\">Parental Responsibility<\/h1><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:4vh\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-04d632e2 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is parental responsibility?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Parental responsibility is defined in the Children Ordinance as&nbsp;<em>\u2018all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and the child\u2019s property.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Authority to make decisions about medical treatment;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Authority to make decisions about education;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Responsibility to promote the child\u2019s wellbeing;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Duty of care.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The Children Ordinance also states:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The fact that a person has, or does not have, parental responsibility for a child does not affect-<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol style=\"list-style-type:lower-alpha\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>any obligation which that person may have in relation to the child (such as a statutory duty to maintain the child); or<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>any rights which, in the event of the child&#8217;s death, that person (or any other person) may have in relation to the child&#8217;s property.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:1vh\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background\" style=\"background-color:#eeeeee;color:#eeeeee\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:1vh\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-04d632e2 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I know if I have Parental Responsibility?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A mother of a child will have parental responsibility unless;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There has been a court order terminating the parental responsibility; or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The child has been adopted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A father of a child will have parental responsibility in the Falkland Islands if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>At the time of the child\u2019s birth, the parents were married or in a civil partnership and the father is named on the birth certificate; or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the child was registered in the Falkland Islands on or after 1<sup>st<\/sup>&nbsp;November 2015, a father may have acquired parental responsibility if he is named on the child\u2019s birth certificate;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the child was registered in the United Kingdom a father may have acquired parental responsibility if he is named on the child\u2019s birth certificate;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By agreement between the mother and father, which is then endorsed by court order; or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By court order.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You will also have parental responsibility if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You hold residence order for the child;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You hold an emergency protection order or care order for the child;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You are the child\u2019s guardian;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You have adopted the child;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You are the child\u2019s special guardian<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:1vh\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background\" style=\"background-color:#eeeeee;color:#eeeeee\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:1vh\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-04d632e2 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I get parental responsibility?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A person can obtain parental responsibility by<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>making an agreement with everyone else who has parental responsibility that you should have parental responsibility; or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>making an application to the court.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:1vh\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background\" style=\"background-color:#eeeeee;color:#eeeeee\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:1vh\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-04d632e2 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Parental Responsibility Agreements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A parental responsibility agreement may be completed by those who have parental responsibility and the person seeking it.&nbsp; It is a legal document in which the child\u2019s mother and father agree that the father has parental responsibility for the child, or in which a child\u2019s mother and father (if he already has parental responsibility) agree that the child\u2019s step-parent has parental responsibility for the child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the form is completed it should be presented to the court.&nbsp; There may be a fee payable. Once submitted to the court, it will be reviewed for any safeguarding and wellbeing concerns and, if agreed, a court order will be produced and sent to the parties. This document should be kept safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the court has any concerns about the child\u2019s wellbeing, or there is a court order in place regarding the child, the agreement may be listed for hearing before the family proceedings court.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:1vh\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-background\" style=\"background-color:#eeeeee;color:#eeeeee\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:1vh\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-04d632e2 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Applications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you cannot agree with the other people who have parental responsibility, you may make an application to the court by completing form C1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An application will initiate proceedings and there will be a hearing listed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There may be a fee payable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:4vh\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#f9fafb;padding-top:10vh;padding-bottom:10vh\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">For more information, please contact <br>the Courts &amp; Tribunals Department<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll find our office hours, location, and full contact details below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/contact-us\/\">Contact us<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is parental responsibility? Parental responsibility is defined in the Children Ordinance as&nbsp;\u2018all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":91,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-93","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Parental Responsibility - Falkland Islands<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about parental responsibility in the Falkland Islands, including rights, duties and how the Family Court handles related matters.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/courts\/family\/parental-responsibility\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Parental Responsibility - Falkland Islands\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn about parental responsibility in the Falkland Islands, including rights, duties and how the Family Court handles related matters.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.gov.fk\/courts\/courts\/family\/parental-responsibility\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Courts &amp; 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