Birth certificate

[LJJ90]

Is there a way fathers can be placed on birth certificates without being there with the mother? As it stands my ex partner and I would be in no way able to do this together, don't ask why but it's not that he is not physically able to come.

There are ways. He would need to fill in this form and you would need to take it to register the birth

www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-declaration-of-acknowledgement-of-parentage-form

As @OurChristmasMiracle says it is possible. Do you know the rights that he will get once named on the birth certificate and are you happy for him to have them?

I registered my DD alone whilst DH was at work, didn't have any issues putting his name on it

If you are married, husband’s paternity is assumed. If you aren’t married, father either needs to be there or to provide signed form, mentioned above.

@annlee3817

I registered my DD alone whilst DH was at work, didn't have any issues putting his name on it

This was only possible because you are married.

@puntoebasta I'm not incredibly comfortable with him having any rights as regards to the baby but also worry about him going down as father unknown. I'm unsure if they can be added on further down the line if things do get better or not, I feel I need to maybe try to seek some advice regarding this.

My ds 11 has come to no harm with a blank space on his bc.

If you have any doubts at all DO NOT put him on the birth certificate, he can be added at a later date if you are sure that's what you want, his being on the birth certificate will make it much more complicated in the future if you don't get on.

Please don’t put him on the birth certificate if you have concerns. You can add him later if you wish. If it’s important to him he can apply to a court for a declaration of parentage but if I’m reading between the lines correctly (and I’m sorry if I’m wrong) then a man who can’t be bothered to attend a fifteen minute appointment at the registry office is unlikely to go to this kind of hassle.

Indeed or a man that you can't even spend 15 minutes in person with?

No harm will come to your baby from having a space on their birth certificate. Far more likely to have a negative impact from a father being given parental rights when they are unfit to parent.

Thank you for your reply's ladies, it's reassuring that it's not something to be judged for which is what I'm struggling with in personal life form my mother.

I know in my heart he shouldn't and doesn't deserved to be on there!

Don't listen to your mum she's being ridiculous, and other than her no one else will ever know!

Exactly, I see birth certificates fairly regularly and the only comment ever made (on the old ones) is what is that number? Because they used to be hand written rather than printed. I wouldn't even notice if it had mother and father in it and I certainly wouldn't think anything of it if I did.

I have a blank space where the father should be on my birth certificate and it hasn’t bothered me even a little bit. If you know in your heart he shouldn’t and doesn’t deserve to be on there, don’t put him on. You’re the only person your baby needs

Check the registry is open in your area. Many are only taking death registration since March.

He can go to court and be added later if he is the father. He doesn't need your agreement for this. Only you know if this will further damage relations between you.

Don't listen to those about not putting hIm
On the certificate - he has as much right to be named as you do. He helped make that baby. Just because you carried it for 9 months doesn't give you the right to airbrush the father out. You loved him enough to be in a relationship with him and make a baby with him so stand by those decisions and put his name on it

He absolutely has the right to be named on the birth certificate. He can get a declaration of parentage if he so wishes and OP cannot stop him.

However if he refuses to attend the registration then in order to put him on the birth certificate OP will have to complete a statutory declaration of acknowledgement of parentage and declare it before a a justice of the peace, magistrate, commissioner for oaths, practising solicitor, notary public, licensed conveyancer, authorised advocate or authorised litigator while caring for a newborn and recovering from a birth.

There is no need for OP to take on that bureaucratic burden. If the father wishes to be named on the birth certificate there are systems in place for him to ensure that this happens but the responsibility is his, not OP's.

OP cant add him easily by herself. If he wants adding he needs to attend the appointment in person. It is more complicated to add him if she goes alone :

Complete this form to register a child’s birth if both parents can’t go in person to the register office.

This declaration must be made before a justice of the peace, magistrate, commissioner for oaths, practising solicitor, notary public, licensed conveyancer, authorised advocate or authorised litigator, by one parent only.

I wouldnt go to that bother if I wasnt sure of the value of him being on there. He can get added at a later date if required.

If you aren’t married, he can apply to court to be added.
There’s no shame in only having the mother on the certificate these days.
Good luck.

@LJJ90 Mine is going down as father unknown. I’ve seen the hassle that comes from having a father named on a BC, who has no part in the child’s life.

But this depends on the circumstances. If your going to apply for child maintainenece off your ex, this may cause issues (don’t take my word for that as I’m not that clued up). I have decided not to name the F, as we have “agreed” he won’t be part of her life. To which I’ve said that I won’t expect him to pay, if that is his decision.

Can I just say it does not say on the birth certificate "father unknown" it is just left blank. So don't worry about that.

He can be added at anytime afterwards if you wanted him to be, or if he really wants it he can apply to the courts to have him added.

Personally I would leave him out of it, if you can't be in a room for 15 mins together and be civil it is not an environment for a baby to be bought up in.

@DressingGown87 is right that there are implications for maintenance so if you want to ensure that he supports your child financially then this may affect your decision.

You could write to him once baby is here, formally notifying him of the birth (assuming you will have already told him informally) and giving the date and time of the registry appointment. You can tell him that if he wishes to be named on the birth certificate he must attend in person as it is not straightforward for you to name him in his absence. You will have taken reasonable measures to allow him to be named on the BC and if he chooses not to attend then it is on him. My conscience would be clear.

This is based on the assumption that he is feckless rather than abusive. If he is abusive then please get advice from Women’s Aid.

You do not have to put him on the birth certificate. If you don't, he does not legally have parental responsibility for the child. If he wants parental responsibility now or further down the line, he can obtain this by applying to the family court for a parental responsibility order. The legal threshold for him being granted parental responsibility is a relatively low bar - the court is keen to reflect the reality of the child's biological history, but only where this is in the child's best interests. You could oppose the application if you don't think it's in child's interests, and the court will look at things like his motivation, why you're opposing, and his relationship with the child. It's quite rare, unless he is a danger to child or you, for parental responsibility not to be granted.

If you're not sure whether or not to add him the best thing I think would be not to. This can always be changed at a later date. But if you do add him and then regret it then that would I imagine be really difficult to change if not impossible