Is my husband a 'guardian' of my children?

beautiful_ravens

Just filling in a bursary application form with my DD, and it asks about parents /guardians.
My husband isnt my kids dad, but does he count as a 'guardian' to them just through my marriage? No legal things have taken place, just the marriage. Is he a guardian by default? Its not a particularly official form but I can't find the answer online.

hazyjo

Wouldn't have thought so, they are a step-parent but not a legal guardian. (Talking from very limited experience, but think that's the case! (and from a very brief internet search))

GwylimT

Unless you have taken specific steps to make him a legal guardian (e.g SGO) then no.

maman

I think the term guardian on forms is often just a catch-all way of saying whoever cares for/lives with the child. So it can encompass a step parent, a grandparent, live in partner etc. Schools often use it rather than cause offence by getting the relationship wrong.


You've said it's not an official form so it should be fine to put your DH's name down if it's just for contact purposes or somesuch. If only one 'parent/guardian' is needed then obviously put yourself. Where it does matter is where some sort of permission or financial contribution is needed but I'm sure if that were the case they'd have given explanatory notes about how to fill it in like they do with passports.

Shelldean

I think you need to include his earning in the bursary application. My husband isn't my daughter's father's but her loans/grants/bursary for uni was worked out on our joint income.

TBagpuss

He isn't their legal guardian but is likely to be relevant for a bursary application. I'd suggest contacting the organisation concerned if you can, to ask for guidance, if not consider putting him down, and put (step-father) in brackets.

But I suspect that they are using the term in a colloquial rather than legal sense, so would include him.

Cheeseface

Shelldean wrote: »

I think you need to include his earning in the bursary application. My husband isn't my daughter's father's but her loans/grants/bursary for uni was worked out on our joint income.

It makes my blood boil when Martin Lewis and others are discussing parental contributions in relation to student loans. It's household income not parental income. My son's biological father and step mother's income doesn't get taken into account. It's all based on mine and my husband (son's stepfather) as he lived with us.

It's probably best to check with the bursary provider as it would be terrible if you were awarded and then had to pay it back or worse, get accused of fraud, because you assumed.

beautiful_ravens

^ Yes its somewhat irritating that their actual father is not even going to be contacted about any fees and such. Theres hardly ever a box in which to write the absent parents details.
I will have to ask him for a contribution to some other costs, which is never fun.

Anyway - I put a note next to the tick box stating mum and step-dad, just to be clear.

maman

Cheeseface wrote: »

It makes my blood boil when Martin Lewis and others are discussing parental contributions in relation to student loans. It's household income not parental income. My son's biological father and step mother's income doesn't get taken into account. It's all based on mine and my husband (son's stepfather) as he lived with us.

I can see why you'd feel like that. It's a change over time as it didn't used to be the case but it's some years since my DDs were at university.


Do child support payments stop at 18? It would be more logical if they continued while the child was at university as then the 'absent parent' would be contributing to the household income IYSWIM or maybe the child support payments transferred to the 'child' and bursary payments reduced accordingly.