<p>
	<section class="body" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		The Government appointed Child Protection watchdog has recommended that guardianship rights be extended.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		The move would allow step parents and the non-biological parent in a civil partnership to apply for guardianship.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		In his annual report, Geoffrey Shannon also recommends that such rights should automatically be given to unmarried fathers&nbsp;and &nbsp;grandparents who are already looking after a child on a day to day basis.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		The report also recommends that homophobic or transgender bullying in schools be made a child protection issue.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		Recommendations in the report are that legislation should be introduced compelling schools to have a strong disciplinary code on bullying.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		The report recommends that cyber bullying is incorporated into our harassment laws as a criminal offence.</p>
	</section><section class="bodyExt" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		At present same sex couples, who are not the biological parents cannot apply here as a couple to adopt or gain guardianship or custody rights.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		Guardianship is the legal right to have a say in the upbringing of a child i.e. their religion, permission for a medical procedure, or where the child lives.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		Guardians can also apply for custody which is the day to day care of a child.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		The only people who automatically have guardianship rights are the mother and married father.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		The unmarried father can apply for guardianship.</p>
	<p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 14px; outline: none; padding: 0px 10px 20px 194px;">
		<a href="http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0710/461721-guardianship-rights-extension/">http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0710/461721-guardianship-rights-extension/</a></p>
	</section></p>
