Parental responsibility

“Parental responsibility” means the rights and obligations of parents: to provide children with the care and education that they require in pursuit of the children's best interests; to represent them legally (e.g. when the apprenticeship contract is signed); and to take the requisite decisions to the best of their power.

All minor children are placed under the responsibility of their parents provided they are not deceased or have been deprived of their responsibility by an official decision or judgement. If they are married, parents exercise their responsibility jointly. If they are divorced, it is the parent who has custody of the children who exercises parental responsibility. Divorced parents may express the desire to exercise parental responsibility jointly. If the parents are not married, parental responsibility is exercised by the mother, unless other arrangements have been made. If the parents are minors, prohibited from exercising their parental responsibility, or deceased, the children are taken into guardianship. After the death of one of the spouses, the surviving spouse exercises sole parental responsibility.