Putting the father on the birth certificate- is it compulsary?

Question

Hiya

Basically, I'm writing a novel about an adopted girl (Ashley) who has no desire to find her natural parents after finding out that she was put into care because her mother left her at home alone and she was attacked by a savage beast.

Anyway, I want the eventual twist to be that she finds her father. They actually meet early in the story but have no idea of each other's existence. Now I know at aged 18 in British law (or is it 16?), adoptees and foster children are allowed access to their birth certificates and for the twist to work, I don't want her to know her father's real name.

The background is that the father was married to another woman and had an affair with Ashley's mother behind his wife's back. During the pregnancy, Ashley's father disappears and well, this leads to my question:

Because they were unmarried, is the mother allowed to discard the father's name from the birth certificate? I thought you could ebcause in one episode of Steptoe and Son, you find out that Albert;s father is classed as "unknown" on his certiciate and in one epsidoe of Gimme Gimme Gimme, when Linda meets her long lost son, she is shown his certificate and states she meant to put down "One Night Stand" (but she couldnt spell? lol)

Anyway, regarding that Ashley would be born circa 1983, would keeping the father's name off the certificate be legal in UK law?

Thanks and sorry for the long question lol

Helen

xxxxx

Answer 1

There is English Law, and Scottish Law, but no "UK law".

It is not illegal to omit a father from a birth certificate, and the father must attend registration to be included on it.

Since 2003 (I think) men in England on the certificate legally have Parental Responsibility without having to get it by court order, meaning where the relationship ends, he has some rights, eg right to be consulted on school matters, mother can't change child's name without his consent etc.

Where a mother does not include a father on the certificate, she may suffer financially , eg reduced benefits.

Answer 2

I dont think its compulsory ... i dont have my fathers name on my birth certificate as i have never met him and my mum didnt want his name on there i dont think... but yeah i dont think its compulsory..

Answer 3

as far as i know, as they were unmarried the mother wouldn"t be able to put the fathers name and details on the birth certificate, as by law the father has to be with the mother at the time of registering the birth, the mother can not put the fathers details on the birth certificate by herself, therefore the fathers section has to be filled in by the registrar as.."father unknown...hope i"ve answered a bit of your question

Answer 4

yeah I'm pretty sure that you don't have to put the father's name on it. Good luck!