Maybe you’ve heard the phrase Parental Responsiblity in the past or perhaps you’ve only just heard it now that you are researching the court process. If you want to know the answer to “what is parental responsibility?” then read on as this article will address this phrase and what it means.
What Is Parental Responsibility?
If you are a mother, then you automatically have Parental Responsibility. If you are a father, then you may or may not have Parental Responsibility. To find out whether or not you have it, make sure that you check out this link.
If you know that you have Parental Responsibility, you should be aware of your roles in your child’s life. You are responsible for:
- Providing a home for your child
- Protecting and maintaining your child
It is important to understand that just because someone has Parental Responsibility for a child does not mean that they have a right to have contact with that child. If you do not have contact with the other child, it is up to the other parent to keep you updated about the child’s wellbeing and their progress.
If you have parental responsibility, you are also responsible for:
- Disciplining the child
- Choosing an appropriate enducation for your child and ensuring that they attend school etc.
- Making decisions about the child’s medical treatment
- Choosing a name for the child and agreeing to any name change hat the other parent wishes to make
- Taking care of the child’s property.
Whether you have parental responsibility or not, you should still ensure that your child is supported financially. You should also keep up with maintenance payments even if you do not have contact. If you are not happy with the amount of child support that the other parent is providing, parental responsibility does not give you the right to deny contact due to financial reasons.
