When you separate or live apart from the other parent, there will be a lot of things you need to sort out. Understanding your legal rights and responsibilities will help you make more informed decisions, especially about your child’s wellbeing.
All parents (including adoptive parents) have a legal duty to pay for their child’s living costs, whether they have ‘parental responsibility’ or not. But this parental responsibility can affect other things, so it’s important to understand what it is and if you have it.
What is parental responsibility?
‘Parental responsibility’ is the legal name for the duties a parent has to their child. It covers things like protecting the child and providing a home for them, as well making sure the child has an education.
If you have parental responsibility, you will also have certain rights too. These include things like choosing what religion the children are brought up in and the right to contact with them.
