Children Act 1989: Primary legislation defining parental responsibility, establishing the principle of child's welfare as paramount, and setting out who can make decisions about a child's care

Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007): Key legislation governing mental health treatment and consent provisions for minors in England and Wales

Mental Capacity Act 2005: Framework for decision-making capacity, primarily for those 16 and over, but also relevant for understanding Gillick competence principles for under 16s

Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR: Legislation governing protection of personal data, including special category health information and specific requirements for processing children's data

Family Law Reform Act 1969: Contains Section 8 which specifically addresses consent to treatment for 16-17 year olds

Common Law Principles: Including Gillick competence, Fraser guidelines, and doctrine of necessity which govern consent and capacity for minors

NHS Guidelines and Professional Standards: Professional body guidelines and NHS policies regarding consent and treatment of minors

Human Rights Act 1998: Ensures protection of right to private and family life and right to healthcare, which must be considered in medical consent situations