Parental Responsibilities
What is ‘Parental responsibility’ and who has it?
Both parents will automatically have parental responsibility for a child if you were married when the child was born. This means that each of you is recognised as having all the rights and duties that parents normally have and that both of you will have to be consulted about all major decisions in relation to the child’s life including education, medical treatment and any proposed change to the child’s name.
A father who is not married to the mother now has automatic parental responsibility if the child was born after December 2003 and he was named on the birth certificate as the father. A father who does not have parental responsibility can make an application to court. It is rare for this to be refused.
If you would like information or advice about any of these issues please contact Sharon Bennett or Ruth Bross.
