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An application to the court by a parent for a parental responsibility order

This is an application to the Family Court by a person (often an unmarried father) that he should have all the rights and duties of a parent concerning the child. It will be necessary when a person with parental responsibility (usually the child's mother) objects to the applicant having parental responsibility and will not agree to share her Parental Responsibility and enter into a Parental Responsibility Agreement.
The application may also be relevant for an application (with the leave of the Court) by grandparents or other relatives who wish to exercise responsibility for a child.

Applications for Parental Responsibility are considered by the Court on the basis of what is in the child’s best interest. It has been held that it is in a child’s best interest to have 2 parents with Parental Responsibility in all but exceptional cases.