Do I have parental responsibility?

If you have parental responsibility you will be able to have a say in what happens to your children. Different people can have parental responsibility.

The mother will always have parental responsibility. A father can have parental responsibility in a number of different situations. If the father was married to the child’s mother when the child was born or if he married the child’s mother after the child was born then the father will be deemed to have parental responsibility. As long as the child’s birth was registered on or later than 1 December 2003 and the father is named on the birth certificate then a father who never married the child’s mother can also be deemed to have parental responsibility.

Another way to gain parental responsibility is by obtaining agreement from the mother or, alternatively, a court can order that someone have parental responsibility. If you are a father and don’t have parental responsibility the you can apply to court to get a parental responsibility order. You could also get parental responsibility by getting a residence order in your name or becoming the child’s legal guardian.

Austin Kemp’s expert team of specialist solicitors are experienced in advising on issues of parental responsibility.

For more information on this subject please visit our Legal Library.

Contact us to see how we can help your divorce and child arrangements

For more information call our team on 0845 862 5001 or email mail@austinkemp.co.uk.

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