Parental Responsibility: Holding Parents Responsible
Parental Responsibility (PR) has been in the news recently, following Harriet Harman MP (Lab) proposing an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill for paedophiles to have their PR stripped from them. (Paedophiles could be stripped of parental rights under new law – BBC News)
This amendment has received cross-party support, and follows a recent case where a mother spent £30,000 in legal costs to have her child’s father stripped of his PR following convictions of child sexual abuse. Upon conviction, paedophiles may be ordered to not have contact with children but, currently, this does not extend to their own children.
Special Guardianship Orders: providing protection and support for vulnerable children?
If a child or young adult under the age of 18, cannot live with their birth parents, and/or adoption is not the right option as it may sever important family links, then there is a way to ensure that they have access to a long-term, safe, secure, stable and appropriate home.