At what age can a child decide they don't want to see a parent?

Until the age of 16, a court can make contact and living arrangements in respect of a child. However, as a child gets older, their wishes and feelings must be taken into account when investigating why the child doesn’t want to see a parent.

The older and more mature the child is, the more weight is given to their views especially if the refusal is clear, consistent, and based on well considered reasons.

Once a child reaches 16 years of age, they can generally decide for themselves whether or not they wish to have contact to a parent, unless there are exceptional circumstances to extend the age limit.