PART 4Amendments: Children and Families
Parental responsibilityI127
1
The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 is amended as follows.
2
In Article 2(5) (interpretation of references to marital status of parents at time of child’s birth), after “married to” insert “, or civil partners of,”.
3
In Article 5(1) (both parents have parental responsibility if married to each other at child’s birth), after “married to” insert “, or civil partners of,”.
4
In Articles 5(2) and 7(1)38 (cases where parents not married to each other at child’s birth), after “not married to” insert “, or civil partners of,”.
5
In Article 7(1ZB) (meaning of “parental responsibility agreement”), for “or (1ZA)(b)” substitute “, (1ZA)(b) or (1A)(b)”.
6
In Article 7(1A) (court may give parental responsibility to step-parent)—
a
after “if” insert—
—
a
b
at the end insert—
; or
b
the step-parent, and—
i
the parent of the child who is the spouse or civil partner of the step-parent, or
ii
if the other parent of the child also has parental responsibility for the child, both parents,
make an agreement providing for the step-parent to have parental responsibility for the child.