Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Parental responsibility definition

What does Parental responsibility mean? Parental responsibility describes the bundle of legal rights, duties, powers and authority to make significant decisions for a child and to manage the child’s property. In England and Wales it is defined by section 3 Children Act 1989; in Northern Ireland by Article 6 Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995. In Scotland, the equivalent concept is parental responsibilities and parental rights (PRRs) under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. In Ireland, the cognate term is guardianship under the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 (as amended, including by the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015). Parental responsibility typically covers consent to medical...

Unmarried father’s acquisition of parental responsibility: legal effects on decision-making, adoption, public law proceedings, overseas travel, passports, education and naming (England and Wales)

Published by a LexisNexis Family expert

Practice notes

This Practice Note explains the effects for an unmarried father of obtaining Parental Responsibility for his child

Where an unmarried father is granted parental responsibility, the key consequences are:

He is recognised as a ‘parent’ for Adoption legislation and may therefore refuse consent to an adoption (Sections 21, 47(2) and 52(6) of the Adoption and Children Act 2002; See Practice Note: Adoption—placement orders).
He gains the right to remove his child (under 16) from local Authority accommodation and, if willing and able to provide or arrange accommodation, can object to the child being accommodated at all (Sections 20(7)–20(8) of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989)).
He is automatically included as a party to care proceedings (Family Procedure Rules 2010, SI 2010/2955, 12.3; See Practice Note: Public law children procedure—Public Law Outline).
He has the power to appoint a guardian (ChA 1989, s 5(3); See Practice Note: Guardianship).
He can validly consent to his child’s medical treatment and is entitled to receive full medical information from the child’s medical practitioner (Re H (A Minor) (Residence Order) [1994] 1 FLR 717)...

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Web page updated on 22/05/2026

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