Decision-making responsibilities under the ''[[Divorce Act]]'' and parental responsibilities under the ''[[Family Law Act]]'' mean almost the same thing. As discussed in the [[Basic_Principles_of_Parenting_after_Separation|Basic Principles]] section in this chapter, decision-making responsibilities and parental responsibilities are about making decisions affecting a child, from the choice of where a child goes to school to the choice of health care when the child is sick. Many , if not most , parents will share decision-making responsibilities and parental responsibilities for their children after separation, meaning that they must consult with each other before making important decisions. However, parents can agree, and judges and arbitrators may order, that:

*oneparent will be solely responsible for some kinds of decisions, and both parents will be responsible for all other decisions,*each parent will be solely responsible for certain kinds of decisions, and both parents will be responsible for all other decisions,*both parents will be responsible for all decisions, but one of them will have the final say about decisions if the parents can't agree on the decisions, or*one parent will be solely responsible for all decisions. The decisions that are included in ''decision-making responsibilities'' under the ''Divorce Act'' are listed in section 2(1) of the act, in the definition of "decision-making responsibilities." The list is short, compared to the decisions that are included in ''parental responsibilities'' under the ''Family Law Act'', however the list isn't exhaustive and other kinds of decisions, like those listed in the ''Family Law Act'', can be included as decision-making responsibilities under the ''Divorce Act''. The decisions that are included in ''parental responsibilities'' under the ''Family Law Act'' are listed in section 41 of the act.