One of the ways in which the law facilitates the formal conferment of parental responsibility is through Guardianship. Guardianship allows you to secure a child in your family, when adoption is not an option.
According to the recently passed Children Act 2022:
Negotiation. We represent you in discussions with the other side and work towards securing for you the best outcome. If negotiations fail, we can thereafter represent you in a Court process.
Mediation. We take a neutral and unbiased position to assist both parties towards a deal that works best for both of you. If the mediation is unsuccessful, we cannot represent either side in a Court process.
Guardianship rights and responsibilities terminate once the child turns eighteen but can be extended in exceptional circumstances upon application to court. This is one of the key differences between adoption and guardianship since adoption does not terminate once the child turns eighteen.
We have had the privilege of walking the guardianship journey with numerous clients and assisted them in securing children in their families through guardianship whether the child is a relative or a child of their spouse or a child placed with them for foster care.