Parenting law and children law pages
Welcome to our parenting and children law area. You can browse through a wealth of information and resources here on parenting law, including how the law recognises legal status as parents, dealing with disputes relating to children and financial and maintenance issues.
Read our detailed guidance on parenting law by using the links on the left
Read articles and publications about parenting law
Read UK parenting and children law
Access the court forms you may need
Find other websites with useful information about parenting law
Articles and publications on parenting law:
If you are interested in getting an overview of parenting law and how 21st century life is challenging and stretching it, our articles are a great place to start.
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008: revolution or evolution? - Natalie Gamble and Louisa Ghevaert (Family Law, August 2009)
The Changing Face of Parenthood - Louisa Ghevaert (Family Law Journal, July/August 2009)
UK parenting and children law:
The two major pieces of legislation which govern children and parenting law in the UK are the Children Act 1989 and the Adoption and Children Act 2002. These set the detail of the law across a wide range of issues, and create the structure for court involvement in relation to children when something goes wrong.
You can read the law itself below, or you can find out more about how the law applies in practice by reading our detailed legal guidance in the links on the left.
Adoption and Children Act 2002
Useful parenting law court forms:
If you are not automatically recognised as a legal parent of your child (for example a lesbian non-birth mother in respect of a child conceived before 6 April 2009) these are the court forms you may need to apply for parental responsibility or adoptive parenthood. There is more information in our guidance about how and when to use these forms.
Parental responsibility agreement
Step parent parental responsibility agreement
If you would like guidance completing these forms or want to know more about the process involved, contact us for legal advice on your particular situation.
Other websites with useful parenting law information:
The following are the websites of major UK governmental bodies and charities which can help with parenting law issues.
Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission
British Association for Adoption and Fostering
Parenting law: how can we help?
Gamble and Ghevaert LLP specialises in helping families created through assisted reproduction and in alternative family structures, and has leading expertise in dealing with situations which challenge traditional family and parenting law. We cater for a wide spectrum of families, including same sex parents, heterosexual parents, co-parents, donors, intended parents in surrogacy cases, surrogate mothers and other adults (including grandparents, step parents and other relatives).
If you would like any further information or legal advice on your particular circumstances, contact us. We can help with:
- advising you on how the law applies,
- helping you to acquire parenthood status and parental responsibility,
- helping you to resolve disputes and
- providing expert representation in relation to disputes over children.
