Western Australian Numbered Acts

CHILDREN AND COMMUNITY SERVICES ACT 2004 (NO. 34 OF 2004) - SECT 8

8 .         Determining the best interests of a child

        (1)         In determining for the purposes of this Act what is in a child’s best interests the following matters must be taken into account —

            (a)         the need to protect the child from harm;

            (b)         the capacity of the child’s parents to protect the child from harm;

            (c)         the capacity of the child’s parents, or of any other person, to provide for the child’s needs;

            (d)         the nature of the child’s relationship with the child’s parents, siblings and other relatives and with any other people who are significant in the child’s life;

            (e)         the attitude to the child, and to parental responsibility, demonstrated by the child’s parents;

            (f)         any wishes or views expressed by the child, having regard to the child’s age and level of understanding in determining the weight to be given to those wishes or views;

            (g)         the importance of continuity and stability in the child’s living arrangements and the likely effect on the child of disruption of those living arrangements, including separation from —

                  (i)         the child’s parents;

                  (ii)         a sibling or other relative of the child;

                  (iii)         a carer or any other person (including a child) with whom the child is, or has recently been, living; or

                  (iv)         any other person who is significant in the child’s life;

            (h)         the need for the child to maintain contact with the child’s parents, siblings and other relatives and with any other people who are significant in the child’s life;

                  (i)         the child’s age, maturity, sex, sexuality, background and language;

            (j)         the child’s cultural, ethnic or religious identity (including any need to maintain a connection with the lifestyle, culture and traditions of Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders);

            (k)         the child’s physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, developmental and educational needs;

            (l)         any other relevant characteristics of the child;

            (m)         the likely effect on the child of any change in the child’s circumstances.

        (2)         Subsection (1) does not limit the matters that may be taken into account in determining what is in the best interests of a child.