A ward of court is someone under the age of 18 who is protected by the High Court. The court is subsequently responsible for that child and permission must be obtained before any decisions are made that affect the child. These may include where or with whom the child lives, whether the child can travel or how they are educated. 

Since the Children’s Act 1989 came into force, Wardship proceedings have become extremely rare. It is now possible to settle most disputes under the Act, but occasionally situations arise that are best dealt with by making a child a ward of court. 

According to the Official Solicitor’s office, the most common circumstances for this course of action are:

·        If one parent is a foreign national and wishes to take the child out of Britain against the will of the other parent.

·        If urgent medical matters need to be resolved, and the parents are not fit to make the decision or choose not to do so.

·        In order to prevent the press from revealing the identity of a child. 

If a child is to be made ward of court, an application must be issued to the court – usually a parent issues the application though an interested party may apply. A child remains a ward of the court until the age of 18, at which point they are free to do what they please. 

You are advised to seek legal advice if you are considering Wardship proceedings. The Law Society (England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland) has a search facility on its sites to help you find a solicitor to suit your needs. 

The Children’s Legal Centre is a national charity concerned with child law and policy and can also answer questions by phone or e-mail.