The world has evolved greatly, and one of the things that have shifted is the family structure and dynamic. With more couples choosing to cohabitate instead of getting married, and modern family arrangements that are result of divorce, the law has to catch up to these developments. This is especially true when it comes to the rights of unwed fathers. However, the quality of the co-parenting relationship will have a tremendous impact on the children, no matter what the age. The children did not ask for this, so all aspects related to the children and parenting need to be approached with thoughtful consideration, care and communication. Divorce lawyers or family lawyer attorneys will help the parents come up with an arrangement based on their child’s best interests. Those who are fighting for the custody of their kids may need to hire a child custody lawyer Chicago.

Most people believe the laws of child custody greatly favor mothers, but fathers do have rights, and not having them actually does a lot of harm to loving and responsible fathers. It also has a negative effect on the child. Whether the parents are married or not, or together or not, if a child has a good father, that father deserves to be in their lives. Unfortunately, many single fathers don’t know what rights they have. Very often things can get very ugly, and people hear many horror stories about fathers being humiliated, diminished by court systems, taken through the frustration and heartbreak of a custody fight. This is why it is very important for them to hire an experienced family law attorney who will advocate for their rights.

This leaves many fathers too afraid to face the system for fear of having whatever minimal rights they have further stripped away, but unwed fathers do have rights. There is however, some red tape under certain circumstances, but that doesn’t mean the endeavor will fail. In order for you to be able to raise your child, there are steps you can take to make that possible. Here are a few things you should know.

There Are Resources Available for Fathers

If you want to find out more about single father’s rights, get in touch with legal experts like National Family Solutions for some assistance or clarity on what to do next. According to the organization, “fathers’ rights help is needed to navigate the legal system. If your child’s mother is trying to keep you from your child, we can help. Even though you might not have the money to pay for a private attorney, you still have the right to use the legal system to gain rights to your child. This is where we come in with low-cost, effective advocacy and resources.” If you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to call an expert like Attorney Natalia Lopez-Whitaker for professional and legal help.  

According to Very Well Family, unwed fathers have to establish paternity and then gain custody rights in the court in order to be a big part of their child’s lives. Many fathers believe they will be dogged by the system, but there have been success stories of fathers who have finally gotten the acknowledgment they deserve. That’s because they got the help they needed with the help of child custody lawyers.

You Will Need to Establish Paternity

Paternity is established by the name of the father being on the child’s birth certificate. This won’t be a problem for a couple going through a divorce, but might be an issue in the case where the mom is single and never put that father on the birth certificate. In such situations, it’s advisable for the father to seek legal counsel from custody lawyers in Maryland who can guide him through the process of establishing paternity and asserting his parental rights. In this case, the father would have to go through an organization that will ask him to get a paternity test. This works best in a case where the single mother is contesting paternity or trying to block the test.

You Need a Parenting Plan

Whether you and your ex had an amicable breakup or not, that has to be put aside to develop a parenting plan which proposes how the co-parenting arrangement would work. This is where things like responsibilities will be laid out like how money for the child’s care will be used, how the child will live during the school year and how travel will be arranged. You need to have this before you go to the court. Having this on paper also gives you both something to be accountable to so there’s no backpedaling or changing things up and risk making things unstable for the child. The goal should always be to give the child everything they need to have a happy, safe and stable childhood.

The Case For Present Fathers

No matter how good a mother is, children with active and present fathers are healthier emotionally, and that’s why fathers can’t be kept away from their kids. The most powerful thing parents can do is put their own differences aside and put the needs of their children above everything else. This will make any transition period easier on the child, and uphold the importance of his or her welfare. If that’s not a possibility, that’s when the courts and family lawyers Melbourne will have to step in.