White Paper on Joint Registration of Births published by DCSF
The Department for Children Schools and Families has published a White Paper bringing forward proposals on the joint registration of births by unmarried parents. The White Paper forms part of the proposed Welfare Reform Bill that will go through Parliament in the next session.
The key reforms are:
- requirement to joint register: a new responsibility on both parents to jointly register the birth of their child will be introduced. If either parent wants to solely register, the registrar will explain to them that they have to joint register unless it is impracticable, impossible or unreasonable to do so. If not then the registrar will ask the registering parent to come back with information about the other parent in order to continue with the joint registration.
- an obligation on fathers to register: where the mother wants joint registration, but the father does not, the mother can provide information that allows the registrar to contact the father, who will be obliged to take a paternity test. If he is proven to be the father then the child will be jointly registered.
- a right for the father to register: fathers will have the right to declare their paternity and have their name recorded on the birth certificate. Where the mother does not acknowledge that the father is the father, he will have the right to ask to take a paternity test
The White Paper follows on from a Green Paper which sought views on the current policy and practice. A summary of those views is available in the White Paper which can be downloaded from the DSCF website via this link:
http://dcsf.gov.uk/publications/jointbirthregistration/pdfs/birth_registration_wp.pdf
9 June 2008
- Keywords:
- paternity