Parental responsibility (PR) is the legal term for the rights, duties, powers, and responsibilities that a parent has in relation to their child. Understanding who has PR and what it means is essential for navigating family court.
Mothers automatically have PR. Fathers have PR if they are married to the mother, or if they are named on the birth certificate (for births registered after 1 December 2003). Unmarried fathers not on the birth certificate can acquire PR through a PR agreement or court order.
An unmarried father can acquire PR by: marrying the mother; re-registering the birth with the father's name; entering a parental responsibility agreement with the mother; or applying to the court for a parental responsibility order.
No. Parental responsibility and contact are separate issues. A parent without PR can still have contact with their child, and a parent with PR may have limited contact.
PR can only be removed by a court order, which is rare. It is usually only removed in cases of serious harm or where the parent has no ongoing relationship with the child.
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