England: Child rapists to automatically lose parental responsibility

The change comes alongside separate legislation which will apply an automatic suspension of parental responsibility in cases where a person has killed a partner or ex-partner with whom they share children.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk KC said: “Our priority will always be to make sure the best interests of children are protected. This new law will ensure they are automatically safeguarded against those whose despicable actions have shown them to utterly lack any nurturing and caring instincts.

“This amendment will also provide important protections for innocent parents.”

At present, the English courts have the power to strip parental responsibility when it is in the best interest of a child, but it requires families and former partners of perpetrators to instigate and fund proceedings to secure these orders, with costs typically running into tens of thousands of pounds.

The proposed new rule would see parental responsibility automatically suspended and the case then referred to the family courts, where it will be for the perpetrator to prove to a judge it is in the child’s best interests for their parental responsibility to be reinstated.

Justice minister Laura Farris added: “It is right that those who commit the most vile and unspeakable act against children should have their parental responsibility automatically removed rather than this being something the innocent parent is required to apply for.”