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Gillick competence

A legal test of whether a child under 16 is mature enough to consent to their own medical treatment without parental consent.

Used in
England, Wales
Topic
Safeguarding and child protection

Being checked against official sources. This definition is written in our own words; always check the official guidance for your country.

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Fraser guidelines England Wales
Guidance from the same court case as Gillick competence, used specifically for decisions about giving contraceptive advice to under-16s.

More terms: Safeguarding and child protection

DSL · Early help · Filtering and monitoring · Keeping Children Safe in Education · LADO · Low-level concern

More terms starting with G · Education glossary A–Z · Get a TIP for your class

Definitions are written by Classfern in our own words for teachers in the UK and the US. They are short explanations, not legal or official definitions: always check the official guidance for your country, nation or state. Classfern is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government department, inspectorate or exam board named here.