Section 3 — Care of Children Act 2004: Purpose of this Act

3 Purpose of this Act (1) The purpose of this Act is to— (a) promote children's welfare and best interests, and facilitate their development, by helping to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place for their guardianship and care; and (b) recognise certain rights of children. (2) To that end, this Act— (a) defines and regulates— (i) parents' duties, powers, rights, and responsibilities as guardians of their children: (ii) parents' powers to appoint guardians: (iii) Courts' powers in relation to the guardianship and care of children: (b) acknowledges the role that other family members may have in the care of children: (c) respects children's views and, in certain cases, recognises their consents (or refusals to consent) to medical procedures: (d) encourages agreed arrangements for, and provides for the resolution of disputes about, the care of children: (e) makes provision for enforcing orders internationally: (f) implements in New Zealand law the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction: (g) reforms and replaces the Guardianship Act 1968 (including the Guardianship Amendment Act 1991).