Families Need Fathers

Families Need Fathers
Keeping Children and Parents in Contact since 1974


An important change for unmarried couples in England and Wales (Nov 2003)
Note: This does not apply to births registered before 1 December 2003.

the right to be responsible for your child

The law changed on 1 December 2003 to make it easier for unmarried fathers to get equal parental responsibility: all you have to do is for both parents to register the birth of your baby together.

Parental responsibility for your child gives you important legal rights as well as responsibilities. Without it, you don't have any right to be involved in decisions such as where they live, their education, religion or medical treatment. With parental responsibility, you are treated in law as the child's parent, and you take equal responsibility for bringing them up.

Unlike mothers and married fathers, if you are not married to your baby's mother you do not automatically have parental responsibility for them.

Before this change, you could only gain parental responsibility by later marrying the child's mother, signing an official agreement with the mother or getting a court order. You can still get responsibility in these ways - you might want to think about this if you have other children.
See also Amendments of The Children Act 1989

Those in Northern Ireland were lucky enough to have this law come into force on 17th July 2001, however those in Scotland are unfortunately still waiting.

http://www.fnf.org.uk/pro.htm