Australian Capital Territory Current Acts Australian Capital Territory Current Acts(1) A person who has long-term care responsibility for a child or young person has—
(a) responsibility for the long-term care, protection and development of the child or young person; and
(b) all the powers, responsibilities and authority a guardian of a child or young person has by law in relation to the child or young person.
Examples—long-term care responsibilities
1 administration, management and control of the child's or young person's property
2 religion and observance of racial, ethnic, religious or cultural traditions
3 obtaining or opposing the issuing of a passport for the child or young person
4 long-term decisions about education, training and employment
(2) A person who has long-term care responsibility for a child or young person may, on the advice of a health practitioner, consent to health care treatment that involves surgery for the child or young person.
Note Consent to minor dental surgery may be given by a person who has daily care responsibility for the child or young person (see s 19 (2) (c)).
(3) This section does not limit the matters for which the person has responsibility in relation to the child or young person, but is subject to—
(a) a court order (under this Act or another law); and
(b) if there is a care plan in force for the child or young person—the care plan.
Note 1 The Childrens Court may make a care and protection order for a child or young person that includes a parental responsibility provision giving long-term care responsibility for the child or young person to someone, or removing the responsibility from someone, or stating how someone may exercise the responsibility (see pt 14.6).
Note 2 A care plan for a child or young person is a written plan of the director-general's proposals for the care and protection of the child or young person (see s 455).
(4) To remove any doubt, this section does not affect any right of a child or young person to consent to their own health care treatment.