A High Court judge has resolved a complicated family law case involving a stepfather’s application for parental responsibility for two siblings, D (14) and K (10). The children, who share the same mother but have different fathers, were living in New Zealand before a series of family changes altered their situation dramatically.

The children’s mother began a relationship with a man referred to as A, and the family moved to New Zealand. The couple married in 2017 and had a child together in 2018. However, their relationship began to deteriorate in 2022, and the mother eventually moved into a refuge with all three children. Without informing A, she sent D and K to live with their maternal aunt in the UK, while she remained in New Zealand with their youngest child.

A applied for a Parental Responsibility Order for D and K. In court, the judge recognised that D, at 14, needed space to process recent changes and strongly opposed the idea of a Parental Responsibility Order being made in favour of A. The judge ruled that granting the order could negatively impact D’s sense of autonomy and would not serve his best interests.

However, the judge decided it was appropriate to grant A parental responsibility for K, given that he had been the only father figure in her life. This decision was made to provide K with a sense of stability and to allow A to intervene if the mother’s behaviour continued to be disruptive.

The case highlights the complexities involved in determining parental responsibility in blended families and the importance of considering the unique needs and wishes of each child.