20(1)This Act may be cited as the Guardianship of Minors Act 1971.
(2)In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—
“actual custody”, as respects a child, means the actual possession of the person of the child;
“child”, except where used to express a relationship, means a person who has not attained the age of eighteen;
“legal custody” shall be construed in accordance with Part IV of the M1Children Act 1975;
“maintenance” includes education.
(2A)In this Act—
(a)references (however expressed) to any relationship between two persons; and
(b)references to the father and mother of a child not being married to each other at the time of his birth,
shall be construed in accordance with section 1 of the Family Law Reform Act 1987.
(3)References in this Act to any enactment are references thereto as amended, and include references thereto as applied, by any other enactment.
(4)This Act—
(a)so far as it amends the M2Maintenance Orders Act 1950 extends to Scotland and Northern Ireland,
but, save as aforesaid, extends to England and Wales only.