ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the way parentally coerced religious manifestations and children’s freedom of manifestation are regulated by parental responsibility and the limitations that apply to the parental right to determine a child’s religion. It considers the possibilities for children to enforce their religious rights, and for families to resolve religious conflict. Under England’s principle governing parent–child relations, parental responsibility, parents are firmly put in charge of their children’s religious lives until a matter comes before the courts or a child reaches a high level of competence. The notion of parental responsibility, as parental rights based on duties in respect of children’s welfare, has long formed part of the English law. English courts generally consider it to be in children’s interests to have a religion. Most university students reported that they did not think their parents would be willing to solve intra-family conflict through mediation.
