+353 (1) 685 6929 Many mothers have kept secret the identity of their child’s biological father; however, the introduction of new government legislation now means that the child’s rights take priority.
There are many reasons why a person would use a DNA paternity test. These include to:
• Confirm identity of biological father – A paternity test is the only way to confirm a child’s biological father if the mother is unsure. Refer to our home DNA testing for more information.
• Search for Donor Dads – For children who are the result of donor conception, there is often a strong desire when they mature to track down their biological father. This test is a vital part of their search.
• Rights of the father – For fathers who are being denied visitation to a child, or for fathers having to pay child support fees, a DNA paternity test is extremely important to any legal case they may wish to bring forward. Whether to prove or disprove or paternity, this test is the most straightforward and accurate way to clarify things in a legally manner.
The Child Act of 1989
Not all mothers want their child to know who their biological father is. There are many scenarios where a mother may justify this action as protecting her child from an unfit father, but a recent change in the law means that the child’s rights now take precedent over either parents. The Child Act of 1989 decided that the best environment for a child’s welfare was to have access to both parents; however until 2003 this did not mean automatic rights for unmarried fathers. Any father present at the registration of the birth is automatically counted, even if the couple are unmarried.
Equality for Mothers and Fathers
Thanks to campaigning groups like Fathers for Justice, there are now equal rights for parents. Although there are many cases where a DNA paternity test has been used to aid a mother in receiving financial benefits from a reluctant father, the same can now be said for fathers looking to gain access to children denied them by their mothers. Many fathers are now using paternity tests to gain equal rights to a child.
As with all changes, there are many out there who are not happy with the new law.
Nature vs. Nurture
The nature vs. nurture debate has raged on for years with both sides presenting very valid cases in the argument. There are many who believe that the ability to procreate does not automatically make you a good parent. There are adoptive fathers who are doing an extremely good job of raising children they have not fathered. They provide love and security to children with no regard to biological factors. On the flipside, there are many biological fathers out there who are incapable of raising children well, whether it is due to lack of finances
or some deeper social issue like drug abuse.
Putting the Child First
Regardless of all the possible outcomes and emotional strain of DNA paternity testing, every child now has the legal right to know who their parents are and putting the child’s rights first is now a priority.