Who will look after my children if I have not appointed guardians?

GEPP

30 June 2017

By Lisa Carter

If you have children under the age of eighteen you can appoint guardians to look after your children in the event that on your death there is no surviving parent with Parental Responsibility.

Many people believe that their children will automatically be looked after and live with their parents or family, but this is not the case. If you do not make provisions the courts will have power to appoint guardians instead. The courts’ choice of guardians may not necessarily be the guardians that you would have chosen to take responsibility and look after your children.

To discuss who has Parental Responsibility, who you can appoint as guardians, how appointments are made and when the appointment takes place please read more about our probate services.

This is not legal advice; it is intended to provide information of general interest about current legal issues.