Parental responsibilities are what parents are expected to do. Parental rights are what parents are allowed to do. Rights and responsibilities continue until the child reaches 16 years, except for the right to provide guidance, which continues until the child reaches 18.
Parental responsibilities
As a parent the law says you have the following responsibilities in law:
(1) To safeguard and promote the child’s health, development and welfare. Parents are expected to look after their children, to help them.
(2) To provide direction and guidance in a manner appropriate to the stage of development of the child. Parents are expected to say how a child should be brought up until they are 16. Between 16 and 18 parents are expected to advise a child, to enable them to make good decisions.
(3) If the child is not living with the parent, to maintain personal relations and direct contact with the child on a regular basis. Parents are expected to stay in touch and be involved with their children if they are not living with them.
(4) To act as the child’s legal representative. Parents are expected to take the child’s place as their representative in anything which is complicated, until they are 16.
Parental rights
The law sets out these parental rights:
(1) To have the child living with them or otherwise to regulate the child’s residence until the child is 16.
(2) To control, direct or guide the child’s upbringing in a manner appropriate to the stage of development of the child. Parents are allowed to say how their children should be brought up until they are 16.
(3) If the child is not living with the parent, to maintain personal relations and direct contact with the child on a regular basis.
(4) To act as the child’s legal representatives.
As you will see, there is some overlap between the parental responsibilities and parental rights. The law provides that the rights are designed to enable parents to fulfil their responsibilities.