# How to Choose a Guardian for Your Children

> Source: https://purewill.co.uk/guides/choosing-a-guardian-for-your-children (updated 16 June 2026)

**Short answer:** If both parents die while the children are under 18, a guardian named in your will decides who raises them. Here is how to choose one and make it count.

## Why it matters

If you have children under 18 and both parents die without naming a guardian, the courts decide who raises them. It might be the person you'd have picked. It might not, and family disagreements can end up in front of a judge at the worst possible time. Naming a guardian in your will keeps that decision yours.

## Who can be a guardian

Any adult can be a guardian, and most people choose a relative or a close friend. The appointment normally only takes effect if there's no surviving parent with parental responsibility, so naming a guardian doesn't override your child's other parent.

## What to actually weigh up

It's tempting to pick whoever feels closest, but a few practical questions matter more:

- Do they already have a bond with your children?
- Could they realistically take on more children, given their own family and home?
- Do they share your values on the things you care about?
- Where do they live, and would your children have to leave their school and friends?

Talk to the person before you name them. Guardianship is a big ask, and you want a considered yes, not a polite one.

## Back it up

Name a second choice in case your first can't act. You can also leave money towards the children's upbringing, and a short letter of wishes setting out how you'd like them raised, from schooling to religion to anything else that matters. The letter isn't binding, but it guides the guardian.

## With PureWill

You can name a primary guardian and a backup as part of your will in a few minutes. It's one of the most important things a will does for a young family, and it's built into the process. [Start your will](https://purewill.co.uk/start) when you're ready.

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