The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Parental responsibility for children N.I.

5.—(1) Where a child's father and mother were married to [F1 , or civil partners of,] each other at the time of his birth, they shall each have parental responsibility for the child.

[F2 (1A) Where a child—

(a) has a parent by virtue of section 42 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008; or

(b) has a parent by virtue of section 43 of that Act and is a person to whom Article 155(3) applies,

the child's mother and the other parent shall each have parental responsibility for the child.]

(2) Where a child's father and mother were not married to [F3 , or civil partners of,] each other at the time of his birth—

(a) the mother shall have parental responsibility for the child;

(b) the father[F4 shall have parental responsibility for the child if he has acquired it (and has not ceased to have it)] in accordance with the provisions of this Order.

[F5 (2A) Where a child has a parent by virtue of section 43 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 and is not a person to whom Article 155(3) applies—

(a) the mother shall have parental responsibility for the child;

(b) the other parent shall have parental responsibility for the child if she has acquired it (and has not ceased to have it) in accordance with the provisions of this Order.]

(3) The rule of law that a father is the natural guardian of his legitimate child is abolished.

(4) More than one person may have parental responsibility for the same child at the same time.

(5) 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.

(6) 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 statutory provision which requires the consent of more than one person in a matter affecting the child.

(7) 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 Order.

(8) 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.

(9) The person with whom any such arrangement is made may himself be a person who already has parental responsibility for the child concerned.

(10) 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.

F1 Words in art. 5(1) inserted (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 27(3) (with regs. 6-9)

F2 Art. 5(1A) inserted (6.4.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 1.9.2009) by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (c. 22), ss. 56, 68(2), Sch. 6 para. 71(2); S.I. 2009/479, art. 6(1)(e)(f)(2) (with transitional provisions in art.7, Sch. 1)

F3 Words in art. 5(2) inserted (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 27(4) (with regs. 6-9)

F4 2001 c. 12 (NI)

F5 Art. 5(2A) inserted (6.4.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 1.9.2009) by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (c. 22), ss. 56, 68(2), Sch. 6 para. 71(3); S.I. 2009/479, art. 6(1)(e)(f)(2) (with transitional provisions in art.7, Sch. 1)