The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

Acquisition of parental responsibility

7.—(1) Where a child’s father and mother were not married to each other at the time of his birth—

(a) the court may, on the application of the father, order that he shall have parental responsibility for the child; or

(b) the father and mother may by agreement (“a parental responsibility agreement”) provide for the father to have parental responsibility for the child.

(2) No parental responsibility agreement shall have effect for the purposes of this Order unless—

(a) it is made in the prescribed form; and

(b) it has been recorded in the prescribed manner (if any).

(3) In this Article “prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the Department of Finance and Personnel.

(4) Subject to Article 12(4) (residence orders and parental responsibility), an order under paragraph (1)(a), or a parental responsibility agreement, may only be brought to an end by an order of the court made on the application—

(a) of any person who has parental responsibility for the child; or

(b) with leave of the court, of the child himself.

(5) The court may only grant leave under paragraph (4)(b) if it is satisfied that the child has sufficient understanding to make the proposed application.