Parental authority and (ir)responsibility – selected sociological and legal aspects

Abstract

The leading issue taken up in this publication is the parental authority (as a specific family-legal relationship), with particular emphasis on the duties/rights of the parent(s) towards the child and the sanctions provided by the legislator on the grounds of the Family and Guardianship Code, then when they will be improperly implemented by him/her (limitation or deprivation of parental authority). It was considered legitimate to discuss the issue of parenthood, emphasizing the importance of maturity to fulfill the role of a parent, and per analogiam parental authority. The article attempts to define responsibility and irresponsibility from the perspective of parental authority and also points out their determinants from a sociological-legal point of view. It was deemed necessary to present statistics on the limitation and deprivation of parental authority, i.e. the sanctions provided for in the Family and Guardianship Code for the improper implementation of parental authority, which proves the irresponsibility of those who play the role of father/mother. Their analysis proves that the sense of responsibility in parental authority is increasing over the years.