When a single (unwed) mother gives birth to a child, a mother is often presented with the option to have the father complete a Voluntary Parent Acknowledgement form at the hospital. This leads to the question: Is it important to establish paternity?
By establishing paternity, the man essentially establishes legal fatherhood and the rights and responsibilities that entails. Paternity also protects a child’s rights. Paternity:
- Allows the father’s name to appear on the birth certificate
- Ensures a child will know who his/her father is
- Provides a child with the right to financial support from both parents
- Allows the child access to the father’s family health history (which may be important as it concerns particular health concerns and conditions)
- Gives the child the right to the father’s inheritance, pension, social security and veteran’s benefits if something happens to the father
- Provides the option to place the child on the father’s health insurance plan
- Ensures a father’s rights be considered before the child is placed for adoption
- Allows the father to petition the court for legal custody, placement or visitation rights
The Voluntary Parent Acknowledgment form is generally acknowledged as the easiest means of establishing paternity and is used in cases where both biological parents are certain the man is the father. By signing the form, the father also is giving up some rights regarding paternity establishment that he should understand before signing.
If either party is uncertain about the man being the father of the child, they should not complete the form and should complete genetic testing prior to completing the form. The mother should not complete the form if:
- She does not think it is in the child’s best interest for paternity to be established by this man
- Harm may come to her, the child or a child’s caregiver because paternity was established
- The child was conceived as the result of rape or incest
- She is under age 18
- She was married at the time the child was conceived or born
By completing the form, parents can avoid having to go to court to establish paternity. The form is filled out by both parents after the birth of the child. In the state of Wisconsin, hospitals, medical clinics, midwives, local vital records offices and tribal enrollment offices are authorized to provide the forms.
There are some limitations to the forms. The Voluntary Paternity Acknowledgement form:
- Does not give a father legal custody or placement of a child — in Wisconsin an unmarried mother has sole custody of the child until a court rules otherwise
- Does not automatically lead to a child support order; it does allow a court to order child support
Questions about establishing paternity? We’re happy to help. Contact us today.
