Can a parent lose Parental Responsibility?
Parental Responsibility is only ended by adoption or by order of the court.
Where Parental Responsibility has been acquired on or after 1 December 2003 by the father on registration of the birth jointly with the mother or one parent with a statutory declaration of acknowledgement of parentage from the other, it can only be removed by an order of the court. If the man is subsequently found not to be the child’s father and his name is removed from the birth registration, this does not bring his Parental Responsibility to an end.
A person can ask another to care for their child and the law provides that any person who does not have Parental Responsibility but who nevertheless has care of the child can do what is reasonable for the
“purpose of safeguarding or promoting the child’s welfare”. This would include friends or relatives looking after children while their parents are away e.g. on holiday or in hospital.
Parental Responsibility does not end just because parents divorce or no longer live together. Even if there are formal orders regarding contact or residence, Parental Responsibility continues within the limitations imposed by these orders.
When a child goes into care the local authority acquires Parental Responsibility but the child’s parents do not lose their Parental Responsibility, even if their ability to exercise it is limited.
You can find more information on Parental Responsibility from the
Parentline Plus website.