Would a father on the birth certificate get 50-50 access to a child if the parents never married?

[Whatsmyusername94]

wondering if a father on the birth certificate gets exactly the same rights as the mother even if they were never married? Could a father have 50/50 access by law granted there is no serious reason he can’t have them?

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Sorry I read this as the child was a newborn. It's all very situation specific, we cannot advise without more information.

The father needs to get a solicitor involved immediately and make a court application for a contact order. Spend the money now and get it over and done with to avoid years of protracted wrangling and her alienating the child from him.

The mother’s actions of preventing him having contact will be viewed very dimly.

I have a lot of experience with the family courts. I’ve seen the full range of things in action. UK courts favour shared 50-50 contact.

He just wants to see the child?

Thank you.

I think he will need to contact a solicitor

I remember my ex bellyaching to a bemused CAFCASS Officer that I had been about 10 mins late for a pick up after a 50 mile journey to collect my son and he basically told her to stop being such a twat

I would laugh if he was granted main custody until she can behave. Shame it rarely works like that.
she sounds like a brat.

Assume you are the father?

No

How old is the çhild and how long since he last saw them? Is this very recent or are you the new girlfriend falling for a load of nonsense about his crazy ex?

The father DOES NOT need to get a solicitor involved at all unless he has more money than sense and an inability to complete a basic form.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/form-c100-application-under-the-children-act-1989-for-a-child-arrangements-prohibited-steps-specific-issue-section-8-order-or-to-vary-or-discharge

Since legal aid for child access abolished years ago , most people who can read and write pay the £215 court fee and represent themselves.

The only time a solicitor is needs to be involved is if for some reason there is a dispute over parentage or claims of a welfare risk - as in EVIDENCE of drug abuse for example.

His starting point is 50/50 if baby not breast fed. This should initially be agreed via mediation.

Follow the steps from the gov website I have linked and get it sorted.

@Whatsmyusername94 "
Because he was late to pick him up once by 10 minutes on one occasion so he wasn’t allowed to see him anymore"

If you are this man's new partner, be very very careful. There is no way a court would allow this. Make sure you see all the paperwork.

Why is it worth thinking about why the father wants 50/50 access? Maybe because he is the child’s father?

Of course it's relevant. Contact is child centres not parent centred. If child is a breast fed 3 month old then obviously 50/50 won't work. If child is 6 and parents are 200 miles apart then 50/50 won't work. If father has no interest in child and is using 50/50 to punish the mother then it won't work.

What a stupid question.

Wind your neck in. The child isn’t breastfed or lives 200 miles away he’s a 10 minute drive away. I read it like consider why he wants access rather than he should be given access when obviously a father should have access as long as it’s suitable.
don’t be so rude

It's funny on MN a father wanting 50/50 is always doing it for the wrong reasons / because he wants to punish the mum or avoid maintenance 🙄 yet a father who only sees his kids eow is a "dead beat" Disney dad. Seems fathers can't win on here whatever they do.

'Because he was late to pick him up once by 10 minutes on one occasion so he wasn’t allowed to see him anymore'

Did this happen today? If not, this means this man hasn't bothered to even Google his parental responsibility or sorted court, which means he's a deadbeat. Avoid.

How long have you been together OP? Why isn't Dad finding out this info himself?

Couldn’t have said it better myself. 100% I was thinking this especially when I got a response “think about why he wants access it might not be the child’s best interest” 🙄 but if he didn’t bother at all he would be called all names under the sun. Men really can’t win.

You just called a grown woman a brat?

Nice.

But as PP said, he couldn't be bothered to spend 2 mins to Google himself and find out more?

How old is the child?

So were they doing 50/50 and then your boyfriend the father was 10 mins late once and the mum is no longer allowing contact? Really?

That’s what I said 💁🏻‍♀️

He doesn’t know I’ve started a thread here

Why are you so convinced that he's told you the entire truth about the situation?

I can think of a lot of reasons why someone would lie to someone about custody arrangement.

We have here a story which may be true. But equally it looks like 'the crazy/ unreasonable ex' narrative

That’s what I said

No you didn't. You didn't give any pertinent details at all - such as current arrangement, age of child, when his ex said he could no longer share contact.

Long and short - he applies to court for either a formal agreement, or if there already is a court order in place, for it to be enforced. It'll cost him a couple
Of hundred quid.