Families

Our society is diverse and people will have various ideas of what family means. Depending on the set-up, different family members have different responsibilities.

Parents should

  • provide a home and care for you until you are 18
  • make sure you receive full time education until you are 16
  • give consent for medical treatment if you are under 16 unless it's a medical emergency
  • NB parents are allowed to discipline you but they must not use unneccessary force

Step parents

Legally, step parents do not have parental responsibility for their step children. They may help with day to day decisions but important decisions must be made by the child's birth parent or parents.

If you're adopted

  • As soon as you are adopted, your non-biological parents have a legal responsibility to look after you.