There are many types of orders which the Children Act 1989 empowers the court to make. The main ones for parents to consider are set out below.
Orders may be made about children under 16 upon:
- either parent applying to the court;
- an application by others (eg grandparents) in specific cases; or
- the court itself without anyone making an application.
The orders which regulate private arrangements for children are:
These orders are set out in section 8 of the Children Act 1989 and are sometimes referred to as the "section 8 orders".
The court can also make a parental responsibility order.