5Domestic relationships

#### 5 Domestic relationships 5 Domestic relationships > > (1) For the purposes of this Act, a domestic relationship is— > > > > > (a) a de facto relationship, or > > > > > (b) a close personal relationship (other than a marriage or a de facto relationship) between two adult persons, whether or not related by family, who are living together, one or each of whom provides the other with domestic support and personal care. > > > (2) For the purposes of subsection (1) (b), a close personal relationship is taken not to exist between two persons where one of them provides the other with domestic support and personal care— > > > > > (a) for fee or reward, or > > > > > (b) on behalf of another person or an organisation (including a government or government agency, a body corporate or a charitable or benevolent organisation). > > > (3) A reference in this Act to a child of the parties to a domestic relationship is a reference to any of the following— > > > > > (a) a child born as a result of sexual relations between the parties, > > > > > (b) a child adopted by both parties, > > > > > (c) where the domestic relationship is a de facto relationship between a man and a woman, a child of the woman— > > > > > > > (i) of whom the man is the father, or > > > > > > > (ii) of whom the man is presumed, by virtue of the [Status of Children Act 1996](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1996-076), to be the father, except where such a presumption is rebutted, > > > > > (c1) where the domestic relationship is a de facto relationship between two women, a child of whom both of those women are presumed to be parents by virtue of the [Status of Children Act 1996](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1996-076), > > > > > (d) a child for whose long-term welfare both parties have parental responsibility (within the meaning of the [Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998](/view/html/inforce/current/act-1998-157)). > > > (4) Except as provided by section 6, a reference in this Act to a party to a domestic relationship includes a reference to a person who, whether before or after the commencement of this subsection, was a party to such a relationship. > > **s 5:** Subst 1999 No 4, Sch 1 \[9\]. Am 2008 No 23, Sch 3.37.