Guidance

Parental responsibility: guide for schools and local authorities

Guidance for local authorities and schools dealing with adults who have legal rights and responsibilities for a child.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

This guidance is for:

  • school governing bodies
  • school leaders
  • school staff
  • local authorities
  • diocesan boards

It applies to:

  • maintained schools – including sixth form and nursery year groups
  • academies and free schools – including sixth form and nursery year groups
  • maintained nursery schools

It explains:

  • who has parental responsibility
  • what to do when there are disputes between a number of adults each claiming to have parental responsibility for a child
  • who can have access to a child’s educational records

Updates to this page

Published 6 January 2016
Last updated 24 August 2023 + show all updates
  1. Updated to include guidance on the role of the 'corporate parent', releasing GCSE results to a parent and notifying separated parents about a child moving school.

  2. Updated with information about data protection and engaging with parents who may not live with a child.

  3. First published.

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