We use some essential cookies to make this website work.
We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.
We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.
You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.
You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.
Departments, agencies and public bodies
News stories, speeches, letters and notices
Detailed guidance, regulations and rules
Reports, analysis and official statistics
Consultations and strategy
Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports
Who has parental responsibility for looking after children, and how to apply for parental responsibility if you were unmarried to the mother or are not on the birth certificate
All mothers and most fathers have legal rights and responsibilities as a…
A mother automatically has parental responsibility for her child from…
If you’re not the mother, you can apply to court to get parental…
Includes giving birth, fostering, adopting, benefits for children, childcare and schools
An overview of Ofsted's registration process for adoption agencies, fostering agencies, children’s homes, residential family centres and residential holiday schemes for disabled children.
Activities oriented to improving how parents approach and carry out their role as parents and to increasing parents’ child-rearing resources
How to make arrangements for your children if you divorce or separate, mediation and how to apply for a court order if you cannot agree.
Guidance for childcare providers on when you must register with Ofsted or a childminder agency, when you cannot register, and when you do not have to.
Use this guide to help you think about the items you would like to include in your child maintenance arrangement.
What happens when a child is taken into care - who is responsible for what, care proceedings, care orders, going to court and the role of Cafcass
This guide is to help you and your business understand how to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse on your platform.
Explanation of terms used in Ofsted's official and national statistical releases.
The adoption process - eligibility, assessment, adoption agencies, adoption court orders, overseas adoptions and the rights of birth parents.
Support and benefits you can get if you're looking after someone else's child, court orders - kinship care, private fostering, friends and family care
Upper Tribunal Administrative Appeals Chamber decision by Judge Freer on 15 February 2024.
Review of the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood, examining the pressures children are under to grow up too quickly.
A new government campaign will be launched to support parents as research highlights some are unaware their baby's mental health impacts their early development.
Parents can get in trouble with the law if their child gets arrested - find out about parenting programmes, Parenting Contracts and Parenting Orders
Foster carers look after children when their parents are not able to - becoming a foster carer, money and support available, fostering agencies, foster parents
Find out more information on how to get tax-free employer supported childcare.
Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.
To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.