. Chapter 3 of the said Children's Act addresses the issue of parental rights and responsibilities but to date has found limited application. It is submitted that courts and social workers need more training on the application and merits of this section if it is to have any positive impact on services to children. . Greater emphasis needs to be placed on responsible parenting particularly in view of the high incidence of gender based violence (GBV) in South Africa and issues such as gender stereotyping.