As the father of a child you have a legal responsibility to support the child until it leaves school by paying part of your income. This is your duty even if you weren't in a relationship with the mother when the child was conceived, or have since broken up. Paying maintenance can be done either through agreement with the child's mother or through the Child Support Agency.
If you are not married to the mother of your child, you won't have automatic parental responsibility - even if you are in a relationship with the child's mother.
Parental responsibility
As a dad, you can get parental responsibility if you:
- register the birth jointly with the child's mother
- make a parental responsibility agreement with the mother
- gain a parental responsibility order from a court
- are appointed as the child’s guardian
- marry the mother
What is parental responsibility?As defined by UK law, parental responsibilities are 'all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property'.
This means:
- safeguarding and promoting a child's health, development and welfare
- keeping direct and regular contact with the child
- supporting the child financially
- being responsible for the child’s education
- providing direction and guidance to the child
- acting as a legal representative until the child is 16 if required
- Along with these responsibilities come certain rights (e.g. choosing the child’s school, having a say over where the child lives).