Safeguarding 2023/24
Parental Responsibility 

To avoid any confusion for families, please see below as to what constitutes Parental Responsibility (PR) under English and Welsh law. 

• The birth mother automatically has PR unless it is removed by the courts 

• The birth father has PR if they are married to the birth mother and / or have been named on the child’s birth certificate. 

• The birth father also has PR if there is a registered PR agreement with the birth mother or a PR order has been granted by the courts. 

• When a couple jointly adopt a child they both have PR.  

• The couple both retain PR if they split up or divorce. 

• Same sex partners who are in a civil partnership at the time of any fertility treatment before the birth of the child both have PR. 

• In terms of school information, any parent who has PR is entitled to full information about the child, including attendance and progress information, such as school reports.  

• If both birth parents have PR, it can only be removed by the courts, regardless of the family circumstances / relationships.  

• One parent cannot request the removal of the other parent from having their PR entitlement. This can only be done by the courts.