Parental Responsibility

Social Service Involvement

Has this child ever been subject to a social services review? *
Are they still under social service review? *

Please State Who Has Parental Responsibility

If you are not sure, please see below:

  • Mothers and married biological fathers automatically have parental responsibility and will not lose it if divorced.
  • Unmarried biological fathers do not automatically have parental responsibility unless they have registered their name on the birth certificate.
  • Step-fathers and step-mothers do not automatically have parental responsibility.
  • Grandparents do not automatically have parental responsibility.
  • Foster carers do not hold parental responsibility (but will hold a degree of delegated authority to make routine decisions around a child’s health).
  • The local authority will share parental responsibility with the parents if on a care order.
  • A child can be accommodated by a local authority but not be subject to a care order or placement order. Where a child is voluntarily accommodated by a local authority under a section 20, parental responsibility remains with the parent; the local authority does not share parental responsibility but the child is still ‘looked after’.
  • A special guardianship order grants parental responsibility to the child’s ‘special guardian’.