Agreements and Orders
Parental responsibility laws govern the rights, responsibilities and authority someone has in relation to a child, and give legal status in relation to their health, education and welfare.
Disputes over who has responsibility for children can arise after relationship breakdowns. Our team of expert childcare lawyers can help resolve all types of child issues and disputes.
Who has parental responsibility?
Mothers automatically have parental responsibility. A father of a child born after 1st December 2003 (who is named on the birth certificate and was present when the birth was being registered) shares parental responsibility with the mother. Otherwise a father does not acquire it unless:
- The parents of the child are married
- The parents enter a parental responsibility agreement
- A court makes a parental responsibility order
- There is a step-parent parental responsibility agreement.
Parental responsibility is retained even if the parents separate and regardless of who the child lives with.
Any other person who is granted a residence order by a court will also be granted parental responsibility for as long as the order is in force.
How Nelsons can help
Our team of specialist childcare solicitors are experts in parental responsibility laws. We can offer a fixed fee parental responsibility agreement, which is appropriate where parental responsibility is agreed between you and your partner:
£100 plus VAT
What is included:
- Drafting the agreement
- Arranging for the agreement to be signed
- Lodging the agreement at the Family Division of the court
- Sending you a sealed and registered copy of the agreement
Entering into negotiations with the other parent is not included in this cost.
We can also assist with parental orders for non-biological parents, same sex families and surrogate parents.