Author: Mark Edwards, General Manager at www.rocketlawer.co.uk, an online legal service providing families and businesses with easy-to-use, professional legal documents and affordable help from specialist lawyers.

It was deemed as extremely welcome news when unmarried fathers gained the same parental responsibility rights as married fathers, giving both the mother and father a legal say in the care and upbringing of their child. However this may well lure some parents into a false sense of security. This is only the case when both parents are on their child’s birth certificate.

Relationships are turbulent and for one reason or another, this formality doesn’t always happen.

Mothers receive automatic parental responsibility but currently, unmarried fathers not named on the child’s birth certificate need to acquire this legal right via a parental responsibility agreement to ensure they are as involved as possible in their child’s life.

The agreement ensures that you have a legal right to be consulted about the key decisions that will shape your child's life. Even if you are both currently on good terms and have a happy verbal arrangement, it is still advisable to have it recognised formally in the event of any future complications. In fact, this is the best time to document your rights, whilst you’re both happy and willing to sign the agreement. Online legal services like www.rocketlawyer.co.uk allow you to create one quickly and easily - and free when you sign up to a free trial.

The benefit of having one in place means that you can both rest assured that your child’s needs, be they discipline, schooling, medical treatment or living arrangements, will be made together for the good of the child.

Schooling and religion

There is so much to consider when selecting your child’s school: location, faith, Ofsted grades, the list goes on. Any parent naturally feels huge responsibility and apprehension to get it right, after all, education shapes young children and secures their future. Every parent has an opinion on their child’s schooling and it is important that both parents have a say in it – you may wish strongly that your religion be a part of their everyday education for example.

The agreement ensures that your wishes will be considered as equally as the mother’s. Formalising your right to such choices means that a final decision cannot be made without consulting you first.

Medical care

Any kind of illness or medical problem that your child encounters will no doubt arouse heightened emotions from both parents. It is not a time when you want to be in dispute over your legal position in deciding your child’s healthcare. Having the terms clear from the start about making a joint decision is one less thing to worry about in a crisis.

Those with parental responsibility also have a statutory right to apply for access to their children’s health records. This may not be something you ever have a need to do but it is reassuring to have the option available to you, as well as the mother, should the necessity ever arise.

Location

An agreement ensures that neither location nor distance will disadvantage you from having a say in the decisions that will affect your child. You may want your child to live with you or you may insist that certain conditions be met where they will be living – without an agreement you are open to the risk of your child moving too far away or living in conditions that are of concern to you and with no leverage or legal ground to challenge the decision.

It may sound official creating a parental responsibility agreement but it can help to add structure to a relationship, and demonstrates commitment from both sides to the wellbeing of your child, which is after all, the most important thing.