What is Parental Responsibility?

All mothers and most fathers have legal rights and responsibilities as a parent - known as 'parental responsibility'.

If you have parental responsibility, your most important roles are to:

• provide a home for the child
• protect and maintain the child.

You are also responsible for:

• disciplining the child
• choosing and providing for the child's education
• agreeing to the child's medical treatment
• naming the child and agreeing to any change of name
• looking after the child's property.

Parents have to ensure that their child is supported financially, whether they have parental responsiblity or not.

Parental responsibility for separated parents

If you have parental responsibility for a child but you do not live with them, it does not mean that you have a right to spend time with your child.  However, the other parent must include you when making important decisions about their life.

You do not always need to get the consent of the other parent for routine decisions, even if they also have parental responsibility.

If it's a major decision (for example, one of you wants to move abroad with your child/children) both parents with responsibility must agree in writing. You can apply for a Specific Issue Order or Prohibited Steps Order if you cannot agree. A judge will then make a decision which is in your child's best interests.

You must make sure your children are financially supported, whether you have parental responsibility or not.

You can get help to arrange contact with your children.