Part 4Civil partnership: Northern Ireland

Chapter 5Children

199Parental responsibility, children of the family and relatives

(1)

Amend the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/755 (N.I. 2)) (“the 1995 Order”) as follows.

(2)

In Article 2(2) (interpretation), for the definition of “child of the family” in relation to the parties to a marriage, substitute—

““child of the family”, in relation to parties to a marriage, or to two people who are civil partners of each other, means—

(a)

a child of both of them, and

(b)

any other child, other than a child placed with them as foster parents by an authority or voluntary organisation, who has been treated by both of them as a child of their family.”

(3)

In the definition of “relative” in Article 2(2), for “by affinity)” substitute “ by marriage or civil partnership) ”.

(4)

In Article 7(1C) (acquisition of parental responsibility by step-parent), after “is married to” insert “ , or a civil partner of, ”.