Children Act 1989: Principal statute governing child custody in England and Wales. Contains key provisions for Section 8 orders (Child Arrangements Orders), the welfare principle (Section 1), parental responsibility provisions, and establishes the best interests of the child as paramount consideration
Family Law Act 1996: Contains essential provisions regarding domestic violence protection and occupation rights that may affect custody arrangements
Child Abduction Act 1984: Legislation covering prevention of removal from jurisdiction and international movement restrictions for children subject to custody arrangements
Human Rights Act 1998: Incorporates relevant human rights considerations including Article 8 (Right to family life) and Article 6 (Right to fair trial)
Adoption and Children Act 2002: Relevant for cases involving step-parents and modifications to parental responsibility
Children and Families Act 2014: Contains modern provisions regarding mediation requirements and child arrangement provisions
Family Procedure Rules 2010: Procedural rules governing family proceedings including custody matters in England and Wales
Brussels II bis Regulation: European regulation affecting international custody cases (relevant for transitional Brexit cases)
Hague Convention on Child Abduction: International treaty providing framework for dealing with international child abduction cases and cross-border custody disputes
