The 2007 amendments to the Mental Health Act 1983 and their accompanying Code of Practice produced new guidance on the limits of parental influence over young people's ability to consent. Previously, professional practice on decision-making and consent was guided by a combination of the Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice, the Family Law Reform Act 1969 and evolving English and Welsh case law. The 2007 amendments to the 1983 Act take heed of such influences and the Code of Practice specifically includes reference to European case law. What was previously left open to balanced professional interpretation has now been formalised into statute law. A central facet of this is the introduction of the concept of the zone of parental control, which derives largely from European case law. This article considers the derivation from case law of this novel concept and in particular its relationship with the European Convention on Human Rights.