in family law, the court can order a residence order of the family court under section 8 of the children act 1989 following the breakdown of a marriage and determining where the children are to live and with whom. the order can be sole or joint, and if joint, it can be made to a couple regardless whether they are married. if a residence order is granted, this automatically gives him, her, or them parental responsibility for the child(ren) which will continue until the order terminates (usually this will be until the child(ren) reach their sixteenth birthday unless there are exceptional circumstances justifying a longer period).