{"id":1219,"date":"2020-02-08T13:00:43","date_gmt":"2020-02-08T13:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/?p=1219"},"modified":"2020-05-12T11:20:25","modified_gmt":"2020-05-12T11:20:25","slug":"the-truth-about-guardianship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/family-matters.co.uk\/wills\/the-truth-about-guardianship\/","title":{"rendered":"The Truth About Guardianship"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sadly, every 22 minutes a parent in the UK dies, leaving dependent children. Statistics show that 1 in 20 children will have lost at least one parent by the age of 16.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Guardianship is a common trigger for making a Will, with parents keen to ensure that arrangements are in place for their children, should something happen to them.<\/p>\n

Parental responsibility means making decisions on behalf of a child below the age of 18, for example, where they live, where they go to school, whether they should have medical treatment and the right to apply for official documents, such as a passport, on their behalf.<\/p>\n

While it may be very difficult for clients to think about such circumstances, about 1 in 5,000 parents will die at the same time while their children are still minors. This will almost certainly be the most traumatic event in their children\u2019s lives, so it\u2019s essential that parents put in place arrangements that will guarantee certain, immediate and appropriate care for them.<\/p>\n

Recent research shows that 54% of UK adults do not have a Will. While the reasons for this figure could vary from cost to awareness, there\u2019s also several widespread assumptions around dying intestate, which simply aren\u2019t the case. Here are some of the most common \u2013 and incorrect \u2013 assumptions specific to guardianship:<\/p>\n

1. \u201cThe father will automatically get guardianship if the mother dies.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

If the biological parents aren\u2019t married and the father has not acquired parental responsibility by marrying the mother, being listed on the birth certificate, or getting a court order bestowing parental responsibility on him, he won\u2019t automatically become the legal guardian.<\/p>\n

2. \u201cThe kids will just go to my mother \u2013 she looks after them half the time, anyway.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the absence of a Will or other document appointing your mother as guardian, this will not automatically happen. It may be necessary to apply to court to formalise this appointment. In some scenarios, there is even the risk that children are taken into care while guardianship is clarified.<\/p>\n

3. \u201cMy ex-husband has never spent time with his children, I want to appoint someone else as guardian.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

If the mother was married to the children\u2019s father when they were born, he has parental responsibility and will automatically be the guardian if she dies. He may not want to exercise this parental responsibility, however, so the appointment of a guardian by Will is still important, just in case.<\/p>\n

4. \u201cI want a different guardian from the one chosen by the father \u2013 the children\u2019s guardian will be the one appointed by the Will of the last to die.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not so \u2013 if the parents appoint different guardians, they must agree on decisions relating to the children, and if they can\u2019t, it will be for the court to decide.<\/p>\n

5. \u201cI don\u2019t need to appoint a guardian, I appointed godparents when my children were christened.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not true \u2013 while godparents can have a pivotal role in the upbringing of children in terms of moral and spiritual guidance, they have no legal rights in respect of children in the event that their parents die. If you wish your children\u2019s godparents to also be their legal guardians, you should make such an appointment by Will.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople often wrongly assume that the people closest to them would be the automatic guardians and would just \u2018take over\u2019 if the worst happened. This, sadly, is not necessarily the case. If no formal guardianship arrangements have been made, it will be for the court to decide who to appoint as the legal guardian for the child, and this may not be who the parent would have chosen for themselves. And in the worst-case scenario, the child could be placed in foster care while the court process took place, adding additional stress at an already traumatic time.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

explained\u00a0 Richard Hodge, Director of Wills and Estate Planning at Family Matters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sadly, every 22 minutes a parent in the UK dies, leaving dependent children. Statistics show that 1 in 20 children will have lost at least one parent by the age of 16. Guardianship is a common trigger for making a Will, with parents keen to ensure that arrangements are in place for their children, should something happen to them. Parental…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":990004,"featured_media":1221,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16,65],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Truth About Guardianship | Family Matters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Guardianship is a common trigger for making a Will. 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