Parental Responsibility

Definition

Parental responsibility are the rights and duties that parents have towards their children. Duties and responsibilities include: Providing a home for the child; maintaining the child; deciding on the education and medical treatment for the child.

Your rights

Mothers automatically have parental responsibility for their children. Many are surprised to learn that parental responsibility is not an automatic right for unmarried fathers. To have parental responsibility unmarried fathers must do one of the following:

1. (from 1 December 2003) jointly register the birth of the child with the mother;
2. complete a parental responsibility agreement with the mother;
3. obtain a Parental Responsibility Order.

For more information contact us at our Guildford office on: 01483 459161