Children's agency, interests, and medical consent.

Can children aged 12 years or more refuse life-saving treatment without consent or assistance from anyone else?

The question of whether a child aged 12 years or more who is sufficiently mature and has the necessary mental capacity may refuse to consent to life-saving treatment without consent from a parent, guardian or caregiver or without the assistance of a parent or guardian is governed by the Constitution, the Children's Act, the National Health Act and the common law. The best interests of the child...

Dual Representation in Unrelated Matters Permitted with Client Consent When Firm Can Protect Clients' Best Interests: Unified Sewerage Agency v. Jelco Inc., 646 F.2d 1339

Dual Representation in Unrelated Matters Permitted with Client Consent When Firm Can Protect Clients' Best Interests: Unified Sewerage Agency v. Jelco Inc., 646 F.2d 1339

Provisions for consent by children to medical treatment and surgical operations, and duties to report child and aged persons abuse: 1 April 2010.

The provisions of the Children's Act dealing with the capacity of children to consent to HIV testing 5 and to access contraceptives 6 have been in effect since 1 July 2007. 7 The Children's Act now allows sufficiently mature children of 12 years of age to consent to medical treatment, and to consent to surgical operations with the assistance of their parent or guardian. 8 The provisions allowin...

In the genes or in the stars? Children's competence to consent.

Children's competence to refuse or consent to medical treatment or surgery tends to be discussed in terms of the child's ability or maturity. This paper argues that the social context also powerfully influences the child's capacity to consent. Inner attributes and external influences are discussed using an analogy of the genes and the stars.