Parental Responsibility - Child's Name change
Changing a Child's Name: The Role of Parental Responsibility
Before embarking on the legal process of changing your child's name, it is crucial to understand the concept of parental responsibility. This legal term is the cornerstone of a parent's authority to make significant decisions about their child's life, and a change of name is considered a fundamental alteration that requires this authority.
What is Parental Responsibility?
Parental responsibility is formally defined in the Children Act 1989 as "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." In essence, it grants you the legal power to make crucial decisions concerning your child's upbringing, including their education, medical treatment, religious instruction, and, importantly, their legal name.
Who has parental responsibility?
In the United Kingdom, a child's mother automatically has parental responsibility from birth.
For fathers, the law is more specific. If you were married to the child's mother at the time of birth, you also have parental responsibility. However, for unmarried fathers, your legal rights depend on when and where the birth was registered, as the laws differ across the UK.
Parental Responsibility Checker
To determine if a father has parental responsibility, first click on the country where the child's birth was registered: