Special Guardianship

Special Guardianship gives the holder parental responsibility, which he or she is entitled to exercise to the exclusion of any other person with parental responsibility. However, it does not extinguish the parents’ parental responsibility.

A special guardian must be over 18 years of age and must not be a parent of the child. An application for special guardianship can be made by:

• Any guardian of the child
• Any person in whose favour a child arrangements order / residence order is in force
• A local authority foster parent with whom the child has lived for a period of at least one year immediately preceding the application
• Any person with whom the child has lived for a period of at least 3 out of the last 5 years
• Any person who has the consent of the following
• Those persons in whose favour there is a child arrangements order/residence order in respect of the child
• The local authority, when the child is looked after, or
• In any other case, each of those who have parental responsibility

Our experts at Chris Alexander Solicitors can provide you with legal advice and in assisting with making the necessary court application in relation to Special Guardianship.