Guardianship is the legal responsibility for the care of a minor child and, sometimes, the management of their affairs and assets. In estate planning, parents may seek to record who they wish to act as guardian if something happens to them. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Where you’ll see it
You’ll see guardianship addressed alongside wills, particularly by parents of minor children who own property in the UAE. A will or related arrangement can express the parents’ wishes about who should care for their children and oversee their interests.
Why it matters
If parents do not record their wishes, decisions about their children’s care and any inherited property may be determined by default processes that may not reflect what the parents wanted. Recording guardianship intentions gives the family direction at a difficult time.
What it is not
Guardianship of a child is not the same as inheriting or owning their property — it concerns care and oversight. It is also not automatically settled without planning; expressing wishes in a registered will is how parents seek to influence it.
Example
Parents who own Dubai property register a will that names their preferred guardian for their young children, so their wishes are on record rather than left to default determination.
Connected documents and parties
Registered will, guardianship provisions; parents, proposed guardian, court.
Going deeper: related reading: estate planning; take professional legal advice.
Related Terms
How we define terms
Every definition on glossary.ae follows a controlled structure: what the term is, what it is not, when it is used, and where you will see it. Read our editorial methodology to understand how terms are selected, reviewed, and maintained.
Read editorial methodology →