Section 151: General jurisdiction

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act and in addition to such other jurisdiction as may be conferred on it by any other law, the Court shall have unlimited jurisdiction to hear and determine-
(a) any civil proceedings in which the existence or extent of a legal right, power, duty, liability, privilege, interest, obligation or claim in respect of a child is in issue; and
(b) any criminal proceedings involving or relating to any penalty, forfeiture, punishment or other liability in respect of an offence committed by a child, against a child or against the interest of a child.
(2) The reference to civil or criminal proceedings in this section includes a reference to a proceeding which originates in the Court and that which is brought by the Court at the High Court level to be dealt with by the Court in the exercise of its appellate or supervisory jurisdiction.
(3) The Court shall, in any matter relating to or affecting a child or a family and at all stages of any proceedings before it.
(a) be guided by the principle of conciliation of the parties involved or likely to be affected by the "result of the proceedings, including-
(i) the child;
(ii) the parents or guardian of the child
(iii) any other person having parental or other responsibility for the child; and
(b) encourage and facilitate the settlement of the matter before it in an amicable manner.