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<p>Section 1 of the Children’s Act 1989 sets out that the welfare of the child is
the court’s paramount concern. This is the fundamental principle that guides any decision
made by a court regarding the future arrangements of children.</p><p> </p><p>The presumption
of parental contact requires courts to presume that the involvement of both parents
will further the child’s welfare; because it is a presumption, it applies unless the
contrary is shown. This means that the presumption only applies if the parent’s involvement
in the child’s life does not put the child at risk of suffering harm. If the court
considers that the parent’s involvement does put the child at risk of harm, the presumption
does not apply.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is currently conducting a review into
the presumption of parental involvement in child arrangement cases. Launched in November
2020, this review focuses on understanding how the presumption is applied where there
is an allegation, or evidence to suggest, that parental involvement will put the child
at risk of harm. Conclusions from the review will be announced in due course.</p>
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