by: jaelef - 19-06-06 12:08
Hi, has anyone got any experience of handling 'tugs of love' where there is a dispute over the care of a child, we seem (according to lawyers) to be bound to give three year olds only to mothers and withhold access to fathers, whereas younger children get different treatment and fathers have equal rights, this is a minefield... has anyone been through it ??
by: joshuajones
We had a similar case where a mother of separating parents told us that we were not allowed to allow her child to be given to the father. When Dad turned up at the nursery I duly declined to let him see his child. I then found myself falling foul of the law as there was no court order saying Dad could not have access and therefore what I did was wrong. I have never heard of an age differentiation in how children are dealt with. Unmarried fathers do not have the same rights as married fathers. Do you have access to a legal representative (independant) that could advise you ?
Tugs of Love - 20-06-06 14:00by: jaelef
This is from one of the children need fathers websites, [for unmarried couples] - it seems it all depends on the age of the child.. if the child is registered (not born..) after 1st December it seems the father has the same rights as the mother.
"An important change for unmarried couples in England and Wales (Nov 2003)
Note: This does not apply to births registered before 1 December 2003.
The law changed on 1 December 2003 to make it easier for unmarried fathers to get equal parental responsibility: all you have to do is for both parents to register the birth of your baby together."
