What is the term for the legally assigned responsibility for making decisions that affect children and providing for their care?

The term that describes the legally assigned responsibility for making decisions regarding children and providing for their care is custody. Custody encompasses the legal authority to make significant decisions in a child's life, including education, healthcare, and general welfare. This can be granted to one parent, known as sole custody, or shared between two parents, which is referred to as joint custody. The concept of custody is crucial in family law as it determines the living arrangements and the overall care for the child following parental separation or divorce.

In contrast, joint custody represents a specific arrangement rather than the broader legal responsibility itself. Grief pertains to the emotional response to loss and does not relate to the legal responsibilities of child care. Abuse refers to harmful behaviors and actions that affect individuals, particularly children, but it also is not connected to the lawful responsibility for their care. Understanding custody is fundamental for navigating parental rights and obligations in family law contexts.