Children under 16 can provide consent for treatment if they have the capacity to do so. This is known as being Gillick competent. If a child is deemed competent, additional parental consent is not required. However, it is best practice to encourage the child to inform their parent unless doing so is not in the child’s best interests.
For consent to be valid, it must be voluntary. If you suspect a child is being pressured by another person, you must assess whether the consent is genuinely their own and valid. If a child has the capacity to make their own decisions, their valid consent cannot be overridden by a parent or guardian. However, a parent or the Court may override a child’s refusal of treatment in some circumstances. The context and reasons for the refusal should be carefully considered, and further advice sought if necessary.
