Parenting Orders

Parents have a critical role in teaching their children the difference between right and wrong.

Parenting orders are imposed by a criminal court, family court or magistrate's court, acting under civil jurisdiction when there has been a problem with a young person's behaviour. They allow parents to build their skills so that they can respond more effectively to the challenges of parenting.

Parenting orders can consist of the following elements.

• A parenting programme designed to meet parents' individual needs to help them address their child(ren)'s misbehaviour. This is not a punishment but a positive way of bolstering parental responsibility and helping parents develop their skills so they can respond more effectively to their child(ren)'s needs.
• The second element specifies ways in which parents are required to exercise control over their child(ren)'s behaviour to address particular factors associated with their offending. Examples would be escorting their child(ren) to and from school every day to ensure attendance, or ensuring that a child is at home during certain hours.
• As from 27 February 2004 the courts can require parent/s to attend a residential parenting course provided that it is likely to be more effective than a non-residential course and that any interference with family life is proportionate (section 18 Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003).

Parenting orders can be made for children aged 10-17 provided the conditions in section 8 of the Crime & Disorder Act 1998 are met. This section stipulates that a parenting order is desirable only if it is' made in the interest of preventing repetition of the behaviour which led to the order being made.'

Further Information

You can obtain further information from the following

ASB Unit, Blyth Valley Housing, Dinsdale House, 75 Marine Terrace, Blyth NE24 2LN.

Telephone: ASB Unit Hotline 01670 542060

RNID Typetalk service prefix number 18001

EMail: Anti-Social Behaviour Unit