Parental responsibility means that a parent has legal duties and rights regarding the upbringing of their child. It can also mean that a carer or family member has these duties and rights related to a child that they are legally responsible for.
When a parent or carer is making an important decision regarding their child’s life, they must include the other parent, or anyone else with parental responsibility, in the decision making process.
Parental responsibility means that a parent/carer must make decisions regarding where a child goes to school, where they live, the type of medical treatment that they receive, any religious education they receive, a change to their name, and various other key decisions.
When a child is born, mothers are automatically granted parental responsibility, and fathers will have parental responsibility if they are married to the mother. Same sex partners who are in a civil partnership with the mother will also have parental responsibility (where the child was conceived after April 2009.)
Where a father or a same sex partner is not married to or in a civil partnership with the mother, they will not automatically have parental responsibility, and will instead need to obtain it.
Our expert solicitors at Crisp & Co can help clients to obtain parental responsibility, supporting you with various steps, including:
- Parental responsibility legal advice
- Parental Responsibility Agreements
- Applying for a Parental Responsibility Order
Get in touch with our expert parental responsibility solicitors at Crisp & Co today
If you would like to discuss getting parental responsibility, or any related matter, please contact our specialist solicitors at Crisp & Co.
You can give us a call on 0330 013 0381 or request a free call back by filling out the enquiry form on the right hand side of our home page.
How we can help you to get parental responsibility
Parental responsibility legal advice
If you would like to obtain parental responsibility, we can provide bespoke legal advice, based on your circumstances. With an assessment of your situation, we can help you to understand your options, and the best route forward.
In many situations, you will be able to obtain parental responsibility by entering into an agreement with the mother of the child. If this is not possible, we can discuss other potential options.
Parental Responsibility Agreements
If you do not have parental responsibility, and you would like to obtain it, you may be able to do so by entering into a Parental Responsibility Agreement with the child’s mother.
Getting parental responsibility is an option where you enter into agreement with the child’s mother, providing that one of the following is true:
- You are the child’s father, yet you are not married to the child’s mother
- You are in a same sex marriage or civil partnership with the child’s mother
- You are the child’s step-parent, and the mother wishes to grant you parental responsibility
If these are your circumstances, we can help you to draft a parental responsibility agreement. After entering into this agreement with the mother, you will gain parental responsibility.
We appreciate that everyone’s circumstances are different, which is why we always tailor our support to your unique situation. If you would like to discuss getting a Parental Responsibility Agreement today, please get in touch.
Applying for a Court Order
There might be some circumstances whereby it is not possible for you to enter into a Parental Responsibility Agreement with the child’s mother since the mother is not willing to do so. For instance, where you are the child’s other parent, but you are no longer in a relationship with the mother, and the situation is no longer amicable.
In these circumstances, we can help you to apply for parental responsibility via a Court Order. The Court will decide on whether or not to grant you a Parental Responsibility Order based on the child’s best interests and the overall circumstances.
If you have any questions about applying for parental responsibility, please get in touch with our experts at Crisp & Co.
Why choose Crisp & Co?
When you choose us, you’ll be working with a dedicated, specialist family law service. We have many years of experience, and a talented and hard working team that we are truly proud of.
Our family lawyers are Family Law Advanced accredited by the Law Society for our expertise in handling complex cases. Many of our team are members of Resolution, a network of family lawyers and other legal professionals who promote methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution over drawn-out and often contentious Court proceedings. We are also accredited by the Legal 500, Chambers & Partners, and are members of The Surrogacy Network.
We know that family law must be handled delicately, which is why we always deal with matters empathetically. Our team will ensure that the legal processes are explained to you carefully, and that you are never left feeling confused about your case.