Hong Kong children to be given legal representation in new law
Consultation paper offers new approach on matters relating to divorce proceedings
Children will have quicker and more direct legal access to have their views heard during parents' divorce proceedings under proposed changes to the child custody law announced yesterday.
Under a slate of proposed amendments to the law dubbed the "Children's Bill" which is now up for public consultation, children will have the right to request an independent legal representative during divorce proceedings.
"The whole object is to put first and foremost the best interest of children in all proceedings relating to divorce," said labour and welfare chief Matthew Cheung Kin-chung.
The aim, he added, was to shift the focus from parental rights over a child to a concept of "parental responsibility".
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An all-in-one "child arrangements order" encompassing arrangements for the child will replace custody, access, residency or contact orders, according to the consultation bill.
"The existing custody and access orders will be replaced by a child arrangements order, so as to move away from the terminologies that would imply a winner or loser in disputes concerning a child," said Cheung.