Special Guardianship
A Special Guardianship Order appoints one or more people as special guardians of a child. The order lasts until the child is 18 (unless it is changed or cancelled before then). The special guardian has parental responsibility for the child and can make most decisions about the child (such as where the child will live or go to school) without having to consult anyone else.
A Special Guardian must get consent from everyone who has parental responsibility for the child to make some decisions, such as:
· Changing the child’s surname
· Putting the child up for adoption
· Taking the child abroad for more than 3 months
· The child having surgery for reasons other than improving health, such as circumcision, sterilisation or cosmetic surgery
If consent is not granted, the Special Guardian can ask the court to decide.
Related Articles
Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
A special guardianship order is a court order that specifies that a child will live with someone else other than their parents in the long-term. The person or persons who the child will live with then become the child's Special Guardians. The Local ...Specific Issue Order
What is a Specific Issue Order? A Specific Issue Order is a court order that determines a parenting issue that is in dispute in relation to any aspect of parental responsibility for a child. Examples of what a Specific Issue Order can determine are: ...Consent Order: Child Arrangements
What is a Consent Order? If you and your ex partner agree on child arrangements but you would like a legal document to formalise your agreement then you can apply for a consent order. A consent order is a legal document that confirms your agreement. ...Consent Order: Finances
About Financial Consent Orders A Financial Consent Order is a legal document that formalises an agreement you and your ex-partner have made to agree how you will divide and allocate your finances following a family separation. It explains how you’re ...Prohibited Steps Order (PSO)
What is a PSO? A prohibited steps order is a court order that prevents a parent from a certain activity relating to their child/ren and which also prohibits a parent from exercising their parental responsibility. A prohibited steps order could ...