A Parental Responsibility Agreement enables you to continue to play an active part in your child's life. It is a legal agreement which must be signed by both parents and is a useful agreement if you don't automatically have parental responsibility. This letter to your child's mother explains your reasons for wanting a PR agreement and also explains what is required to put one in place.
Before sending this letter, it's important to understand your legal position as an unmarried father by using our free Rights Checker.
[Father's Address]
[Mother's Address]
[Date]
Dear [Mother's name],
Re: Parental Responsibility
I am writing regarding my role as [child name] father.
[Child name] welfare is extremely important to me, and I want to play an active part in the decision making throughout [his/her] upbringing. I want to be equally responsible with yourself for matters such as raising [child name] in a safe and secure environment, making decisions about [his/her] education, and participating in decisions about any medical issues that may arise in the future. I take my role as a father very seriously and want to be able to do what is best for [child name]. In order to do that, I must have the authority to help make such important decisions for [child name].
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Try our Letter Builder free, here on this site →I very much hope that we can agree this between ourselves and enter into a 'Parental Responsibility Agreement', which will give me equal parental responsibility for [child name] with yourself. I want us to work together as parents for [child name] sake and make decisions about[his/her] future together, [regardless of the fact that we are no longer in a relationship].
All of the form apart from the signatures needs to be filled in. I have done this already and have enclosed a copy for you to read. We now need to go to the local [Family Proceedings Court / County Court / Principal Registry of the Family Division] together, so that our signatures can be witnessed by an authorised member of court staff and the agreement can become effective.
As [child name] mother, you will need to bring along [his/her] full birth certificate to prove that you are her mother. We will also both need to take photographic and signature ID (e.g. passport).
When the application form has been witnessed, we have to send the original paperwork along with two copies to The Principal Registry of the Family Division. We will then each receive a sealed copy and the original will remain at court. The agreement will take effect when it is recorded at the court in London.
[I have enclosed the information leaflet I picked up from the local court for your information and record.]
I look forward to hearing from you shortly, so that we might go to court to have our signatures witnessed and the parental responsibility agreement can take effect.
[I would also note that if you do not agree to us entering into a parental responsibility agreement, I plan to make an application to the court for a Parental Responsibility Order, which I am fully entitled to do as [child name] parent. I hope that it does not come to this, and that we are able to move forwards amicably.]
Yours sincerely,
[Father's signature]
[Father's name]
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
I want to draft some sort of permanent arrangement for access with my daughter hopefully to prevent her mother letting her and me down, at the last minute. I also want to make arrangements for my daughters school holiday contact with me and my parents and also to take her abroad with us all next year. I'm worried she won't sign a parenting plan and if she does as it's not legally binding, she may go back on it. I've said I'll go to mediation. Anyone else in the same kind of mess? Just want some friendly advice and pointing to maybe some good parenting plan templates for regular conact
Please can someone help. I split with my wife in April 18, she told me that she needed time on her own, this after losing my mum to cancer, me suffering a stroke and a seizure, she found someone younger. After all of the hassle, we worked out an amicable parenting plan for my 4 yr old daughter. It was fine until a few weeks ago when I was allowed to take my daughter away to the seaside for one night only. When I dropped her back off, I explained that my job was looking shaky so I may have to alter the maintainence payments slightly. My wife hit the roof and since she has restricted access to my little girl, only being allowed a few hours at the weekend. my wife is calling all the shots. Can someone suggest an ideas on how to get my access back please?
Thank you very much in advance
Does it have to be a court local to her and the children, one midway between us, or am I free to decide?
Also, in the 2nd paragraph after this, it mentions "The agreement will take effect when it is recorded at the court in London."
Is this correct? I mean are all such agreements recorded in London? Or should "London" be substituted for the local court as per above?
Many thanks,
NeverGiveUp.
thanks
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