Children Act 1989: Primary legislation that establishes fundamental principles of child welfare, defines parental responsibility, and contains the 'welfare checklist'. Provides framework for court orders relating to children.
Family Law Act 1996: Framework legislation for domestic proceedings and contains important provisions regarding family homes and occupation rights.
Children and Families Act 2014: Modern update to family law that introduces child arrangement orders and reinforces the paramount importance of the child's best interests.
Human Rights Act 1998: Ensures compliance with human rights principles, particularly Article 8 regarding the right to family life.
Child Support Act 1991: Legislation governing financial arrangements and support for children in family breakdowns.
Welfare Reform Act 2009: Legislation that may impact financial arrangements and support in split custody situations.
Family Procedure Rules 2010: Sets out the procedural requirements and rules for family arrangements and court proceedings.
CAFCASS Guidelines: Best practice guidelines from the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service for child arrangements.
Paramountcy Principle: Legal principle stating that the child's best interests are paramount in any decision affecting them.
No Order Principle: Legal principle stating that courts should not make an order unless doing so would be better than making no order at all.
Welfare Checklist: Statutory checklist of factors courts must consider when making decisions about a child's upbringing.
Shared Parental Involvement Principle: Legal principle promoting the involvement of both parents in the child's life where safe and appropriate.
