Parenting and children law
Welcome to our parenting and children law area, with resources for gay and lesbian parents and families created through fertility treatment, adoption and in alternative structures.
From this page you can:
Click on the links on the left for detailed guidance on adoption and alternative parenting law or contact us for advice on your situation
Read UK adoption, parenting and children law, including legislation and leading cases
Find the court forms you may need
Find other websites with useful information
Read our publications and news coverage
UK adoption, parenting and children law:
The two major pieces of legislation which govern adoption and parenting law in the UK are the Adoption and Children Act 2002 and the Children Act 1989. This is the law which underpins your ability to adopt a child (whether an unrelated child or where you are acquiring legal status for a non-bioloigcal child) and governs how the law arbitrates over disputes concerning the care of children.
Adoption and Children Act 2002
Also see our detailed legal guidance explaining how the law works in practice in the links on the left.
Useful parenting law court forms:
These are the court forms you may need to apply for parental responsibility or adoption. There is more information in our guidance about how and when to use these forms.
Parental responsibility agreement
Step parent parental responsibility agreement
If you would like advice, guidance or legal representation, feel free to contact us for legal advice on your particular situation.
Other websites with useful parenting law information:
The following are the websites of major UK governmental bodies and charities which can help with parenting law issues.
CAFCASS - the Child and Family Court Advisory and Support Service, which works with families and advises the courts as to what may be considered in the best interests of a child
Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission - formerly the CSA, the government body which enforces maintenance awards against financially responsible parents
British Association for Adoption and Fostering - a leading UK charity, which works with adoptive families and gives advice and information on issues of adoption and fostering
Adoption UK - a charity which supports adoptive families and campaigns on their behalf
New Family Social - a support group for gay and lesbian adopters
Stonewall - the UK's leading gay rights and gay and lesbian information charity
Natalie Gamble Associates news and publications:
We are proud to be thought leaders on same sex parenting and children law issues for alternative families and fertility patients.
Stonewall Gay Dads' Guide - Stonewall publication, October 2010
Lesbian mothers in dispute: T v B - Family Law, November 2010
Lesbian mums in dispute: fertility law, child maintenance and what makes a parent - commentary for Bionews, November 2010
The Pink List 2010 - The Independent on Sunday, 1 August 2010 (ranking Natalie Gamble as a pioneer of fertility law and one of the most influential gay people in Britain)
The Times, January 15 2008 - Lawyer of the week: Natalie Gamble (following representation of Andy Bathie, the sperm donor pursued by the CSA for maintenance)
BBC Radio 4 Today Programme, 19 November 2007 - John Humphrys interview with Natalie Gamble and Baroness Deech on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (defending the new rights for lesbian parents)
Adoption and parenting law: how can we help?
Natalie Gamble Associates provides cutting edge legal representation to all alternative families, including same sex parents and families created through assisted reproduction and adoption.
We have acted in high profile litigation and for many hundreds of same sex oarents and fertility treatment parents over our many years of practice, as well as donors (including Andy Bathie, the sperm donor pursued for maintenance by the CSA). We work closely with many leading organisations too, including Stonewall, the Donor Conception Network, Infertility Network UK, COTS and Surrogacy UK.
Please do feel free to contact us about your particular circumstances. We can help you with:
- building a family through adoption (either in the UK or through intercountry adoption),
- acquiring legal status which recognises your family (including step parent adoptions, co-parenting situations and parental responsibility),
- advice and representation in disputes, including known donor disputes, gay and lesbian relationship breakdown and surrogacy disputes.
