When is parental consent required?

Parental consent is required in the following situations.

For medical treatment, parental consent is required for a child under 16 years of age unless the child is deemed “Gillick competent” whereby they can make their own decisions.

School trips and most educational decisions often require parental consent.

To change a child’s name, the consent of all individuals with parental responsibility is required until the child reaches 16.

Taking a child outside of England and Wales requires consent from everyone with parental responsibility unless there is a court order stating otherwise.