Up to the age of 18 years in England
The age at which a child legally becomes an adult varies from state to state, but in most states that age is 18. Most states that have parental responsibility laws have established the rule that parents can be held responsible for the acts of their child only until the child reaches 18 years of age. However, at least one state has expanded parental responsibility to include children up to 21 years of age in certain situations. Parental responsibility refers to the rights and responsibilities that most parents have in respect of their children. This factsheet gives advice on who has parental responsibility and where responsibility lies in situations in which there are disagreements over the best interests of the child. A ‘person with parental responsibility’ means someone with the rights and responsibilities that parents have in law for their child, including the right to consent to medical treatment for them, up to the age of 18 years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and up to 16 years in Scotland. The only parental responsibility that continues until the age of 18 years in Scotland is the responsibility to provide guidance to the child. The Act refers to parental rights and responsibilities. In this guidance, references to ‘parental responsibility’ mean parental rights and responsibilities in Scotland. What is Parental Responsibility. Parental responsibility was a legal concept first defined in the Children Act 1989 (s3) as, “all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property. Parental responsibility means the rights and responsibilities that parents have in law for their child, including the right to consent to medical treatment for them, up to the age of 18 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and 16 in Scotland. Mothers and married fathers have parental responsibility. Those with parental responsibility are conferred with the rights and responsibilities for the upbringing and care provided to a child until he achieves the age of majority. These rights exist in order to allow those with parental responsibility to exercise their duty of care towards their child. The only parental responsibility that continues until 18 in Scotland is the provision of guidance to the child (see s.1(1)(b)(ii) and s.1(2)(b) Children (Scotland) Act 1995). The Act refers to parental rights and responsibilities (PRR); reference to parental responsibilities in this guidance means PRR in Scotland.
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what age is parental responsibility