Where there are questions about the mental capacity or level of understanding of an adult or a young person aged 16 or 17, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Code of Practice [links] will apply and should be consulted.

[link to The Small Places]

[link to FJC guidelines on parents]

The capacity of a child or young person aged under 16 to make decisions is a matter of professional judgment and may vary according to circumstances at the time. This is often referred to as ‘Gillick competence’. More narrowly, the ‘Fraser guidelines’ refer to a child’s consent to medical advice or treatment.

[GMC guidance]