http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/section/14DChildren Act 1989An Act to reform the law relating to children; to provide for local authority services for children in need and others; to amend the law with respect to children’s homes, community homes, voluntary homes and voluntary organisations; to make provision with respect to fostering, child minding and day care for young children and adoption; and for connected purposes.1989-11-16texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-05-27Expert Participation2026-05-11 Children Act 1989s. 31A(4A)Children and Families Act 2014s. 15(2)(b)s. 139(6)Children Act 1989s. 22H 22I and cross-headingChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026s. 5s. 78(2)(a)Children Act 1989s. 23CZAAChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026s. 7s. 78(5)Children Act 1989s. 23ZZZAChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026s. 6(3)s. 78(5)Children Act 1989s. 25(1A)(1B)Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026s. 13(3)s. 78(5)Children Act 1989s. 25(5ZA)Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026s. 13(6)s. 78(5)Children Act 1989s. 25(8ZA)Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026s. 13(9)s. 78(5)Children Act 1989s. 31ZAChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026s. 1s. 78(5)Children Act 1989s. 34(1)(e) and wordChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026s. 10(a)(ii)s. 78(5)Children Act 1989s. 87BBChildren’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026s. 51(2)s. 78(2)(e)Children Act 1989s. 104(3BZA)Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026s. 13(10)(b)s. 78(5)Children Act 1989Sch. ZA1 para. 3(ha)-(hc)Crime and Policing Act 2026Sch. 11 para. 5s. 255(1)Children Act 1989s. 4(1A)(aa)Welfare Reform Act 2009Sch. 6 para. 21(3)s. 61(3)Children Act 1989s. 4(1C)Welfare Reform Act 2009Sch. 6 para. 21(4)s. 61(3)Children Act 1989s. 4ZA(2)(aa)Welfare Reform Act 2009Sch. 6 para. 22(3)s. 61(3)Children Act 1989s. 4ZA(3A)Welfare Reform Act 2009Sch. 6 para. 22(4)s. 61(3)Children Act 1989s. 10A 10BVictims and Prisoners Act 2024s. 18(3)s. 32s. 81(2)Children Act 1989s. 9(8)Victims and Prisoners Act 2024s. 18(4)(c)s. 32s. 81(2)Children Act 1989s. 33(3A)Victims and Prisoners Act 2024s. 18(5)s. 32s. 81(2)Children Act 1989s. 91(5B)(5C)Victims and Prisoners Act 2024s. 18(6)(b)s. 32s. 81(2)Children Act 1989s. 104(3AZA)Victims and Prisoners Act 2024s. 18(7)(b)s. 32s. 81(2) Part II14D1The court may vary or discharge a special guardianship order on the application of—athe special guardian (or any of them, if there are more than one);bany parent or guardian of the child concerned;cany individual who is named in a child arrangements order as a person with whom the child is to live;dany individual not falling within any of paragraphs (a) to (c) who has, or immediately before the making of the special guardianship order had, parental responsibility for the child;ethe child himself; orfa local authority designated in a care order with respect to the child.2In any family proceedings in which a question arises with respect to the welfare of a child with respect to whom a special guardianship order is in force, the court may also vary or discharge the special guardianship order if it considers that the order should be varied or discharged, even though no application has been made under subsection (1).3The following must obtain the leave of the court before making an application under subsection (1)—athe child;bany parent or guardian of his;cany step-parent of his who has acquired, and has not lost, parental responsibility for him by virtue of section 4A;dany individual falling within subsection (1)(d) who immediately before the making of the special guardianship order had, but no longer has, parental responsibility for him.4Where the person applying for leave to make an application under subsection (1) is the child, the court may only grant leave if it is satisfied that he has sufficient understanding to make the proposed application under subsection (1).5The court may not grant leave to a person falling within subsection (3)(b)(c) or (d) unless it is satisfied that there has been a significant change in circumstances since the making of the special guardianship order.Ss. 14A-14G inserted (30.12.2005) by 2002 c. 38, ss. 115(1), 148 (with Sch. 4 paras. 6-8); S.I. 2005/2213, art. 2(k)Ss. 14A-14G and heading inserted (30.12.2005) by 2002 c. 38, ss. 115(1), 148 (with Sch. 4 paras. 6-8); S.I. 2005/2213, {art. 2k}Words in s. 14D(1)(c) substituted (22.4.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 2 para. 26; S.I. 2014/889, art. 4(f) (with transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/1042, arts. 3, 4, 6-10)