Closed petition Enact schedule 6 of the 2009 Welfare Reform Act on Joint Birth Registration.

Closed on 8 March 2017

S.111 of the Adoption & Children Act 2002 demonstrated a turning point in Family Law, permitting unmarried fathers to obtain parental responsibility if their name is registered on their child's birth certificate. However, responsibility for registering the birth still lies mainly with the mother.

In England & Wales every year around 7% of births are solely registered by mothers meaning upto 45,000 children do not have their father named on their birth certificate. Research shows that fathers' impact on their children is central to the child's healthy development. With rapidly changing social infrastructures there is a growing trend away from marriage and towards cohabitation. JBR will reinforce the important role fathers play in their children's lives, both practically and symbolically.