Residence/Contact Order

[annalou]

if you have a contact order decided by the court - what age does the child cease to have to comply with the order - i.e. when she reaches 16 does the order not apply? many thanks

[Pippa68]

I am not totally sure, and would like to know the answer to this myself!

However I would have thought that at the age of 16 the court order would cease as it is at that age when a child can leave home voluntarily?

[chookie]

fairly sure its 16.

[daffy654]

I was the subject of a court order (many years ago now) and mine didn't cease until I turned 18.It might be different now though.

[Buenchico]

Your question implies that a contact order places a duty upon the child. It doesn't; it simply places a duty upon the parent, with whom the child resides, to permit contact.

At the age of 16, any young person can leave home and have no further contact with their parents, if that is their wish. Even if the young person is reported as missing, and then located by the police, the police may not disclose their location to the parents. It therefore follows that a 16-year-old can refuse to have contact with one parent. The contact order is only breached if the other parent seeks to block access.

Chris