Advice

Current Terminology

In June 1996 the law relating to children was dramatically changed. The old terminology of custody, access and guardianship was abolished. The notion of “parental responsibility” was introduced. The main object of the legislation was to draw attention away from parental rights and to focus on “parental responsibility”. The old terminology seemed to encourage a notion that parents have proprietary rights over their children which meant that after a separation the person who attained an order for sole custody had won, and the other party had lost.