# PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AGREEMENT
## Important legal, jurisdiction and formality warning
This fictional document is a worked example, not legal advice and not a substitute for the prescribed parental responsibility agreement or form, a court order, a child-arrangements order, a prohibited-steps order or specialist family-law advice. It is written for England and Wales. Parental responsibility is the legal rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority a parent has in relation to a child; it does not decide where a child lives, how much time a child spends with either parent, or any financial maintenance issue. Check the current Family Procedure Rules, court guidance and signing, witnessing and filing requirements before relying on this document. The child's welfare is paramount, and a later court order, safeguarding direction or statutory rule can override an agreement. Each adult should obtain independent advice where there is conflict, coercion, domestic abuse or an international issue.
Date of agreement: 6 January 2027
## 1. Parties and child
This agreement is made between Hannah Louise Mercer, born 11 April 1989, of 26 Wrenfield Road, Bristol BS7 8QN, telephone 0117 555 4091 and email hannah.mercer@example.test, and Daniel Joseph Okafor, born 3 September 1987, of 14 Larch Grove, Bristol BS5 6PT, telephone 0117 555 4092 and email daniel.okafor@example.test.
The child is Amelia Rose Okafor, born 22 May 2019 at Southmead Hospital, Bristol, NHS number 943 618 2754. Amelia currently lives primarily with Hannah at 26 Wrenfield Road and spends alternate weekends and a Wednesday overnight with Daniel under their separate informal routine. Hannah and Daniel are not married to each other and have not entered a civil partnership. Daniel is named on Amelia's birth certificate, registered in England and Wales on 4 June 2019. Because he is named on the birth certificate, Daniel already has parental responsibility under section 4(1)(a) of the Children Act 1989. They intend this agreement to record how they will exercise that existing parental responsibility in a clear and child-focused manner, subject to any formal requirements applicable to the record.
## 2. Intention and status
Hannah acknowledges that Daniel is Amelia's biological father and that, because he is named on Amelia's birth certificate registered in England and Wales on 4 June 2019, he already has parental responsibility under section 4(1)(a) of the Children Act 1989. This agreement does not confer, grant or acquire parental responsibility. Instead, it records the parents' shared intention to exercise their existing parental responsibility for Amelia's welfare rather than to control one another or disrupt Amelia's routine. They will take any additional procedural step required by the Family Court or relevant government office to file or evidence this record, including providing identification and retaining a sealed or accepted copy, without treating that step as the source of Daniel's parental responsibility.
This agreement does not transfer Amelia's home, change either parent's financial obligations, create a power to remove Amelia from the United Kingdom, or give either parent a unilateral veto over every ordinary parenting decision. It does not replace their existing child-arrangements discussions. Neither parent may use parental responsibility to harass the other or expose Amelia to avoidable conflict.
## 3. Shared decision-making
The parents will consult one another and make major decisions jointly where reasonably practicable. Major decisions include changing Amelia's name, consenting to a non-routine operation or significant medical treatment, choosing or changing a school, changing her religious upbringing, moving her principal home to another part of the United Kingdom, applying for or surrendering a passport, and taking her outside the United Kingdom for more than 21 consecutive days.
For a proposed major decision, the parent proposing it will give the other a written explanation and relevant information at least 14 days before a decision where the circumstances permit. The parents will discuss the proposal by telephone or at a neutral meeting and record the outcome by email. If they cannot agree, they will try one mediation information and assessment meeting or another safe dispute-resolution process before applying to court, unless there is urgency, domestic abuse, a safeguarding concern or a legal reason not to delay.
Either parent may consent to ordinary day-to-day matters while Amelia is in that parent's care. Either parent may obtain urgent medical treatment where delay would risk Amelia's health, provided that parent tells the other as soon as safely practicable and shares the medical information. Each parent may receive school, medical and activity information directly where the institution permits it. They will keep emergency contacts, allergies, prescriptions and school arrangements current.
## 4. Communication and practical responsibilities
Hannah and Daniel will use the shared email address amelia.parents@example.test for routine written communication and will reserve telephone calls for urgent matters. They will communicate courteously, not ask Amelia to carry messages, and not criticise the other parent in Amelia's hearing. Each will tell the other within 24 hours of a material accident, hospital attendance, police involvement, safeguarding referral or change in contact details.
Daniel will contribute to Amelia's ordinary costs under their separate financial arrangement and any applicable legal assessment. This agreement is not a maintenance agreement and does not set a fixed payment. Each parent will provide suitable clothing, medication and age-appropriate care during their time with Amelia. Neither parent will leave Amelia with an unknown adult or introduce a new overnight carer without a sensible conversation, subject to emergency circumstances.
The parents will keep Amelia's privacy in mind. Neither will publish Amelia's school name, medical information or live location online, and neither will use her image for a commercial purpose without discussing it first. They will tell the other before booking international travel, provide a full itinerary and return date, and obtain all consent or court authority required by law. A parent must not retain Amelia abroad beyond an agreed return date or remove her in breach of a court order.
## 5. Safeguarding and review
If either parent reasonably believes that Amelia faces an immediate risk of harm, that parent may take protective action and contact emergency services or the relevant safeguarding authority. The parent must notify the other when safe and appropriate. This clause does not make an allegation against either parent and does not limit any professional's independent safeguarding duty.
The parents will review this agreement each January and after a material change in Amelia's health, education, location or family circumstances. A variation should be written, dated and signed, but no variation can override a court order or mandatory law. The agreement is intended to remain effective while Amelia is a child unless replaced by a valid agreement, court order or legal event. If one clause is ineffective, the remaining clauses continue as far as lawfully possible.
The intended governing law is the law of England and Wales, and the Family Court of England and Wales is the relevant court for this example. The parents understand that jurisdiction can be affected by Amelia's habitual residence, international travel and statutory rules.
## 6. Signatures and witnesses
Signed by Hannah Louise Mercer: __________________________
Date: 6 January 2027
Witness signature: __________________________ Witness name: Miriam Cole
Witness address: 3 Hazelbank Terrace, Bristol BS6 5RJ
Witness occupation: Primary-school teacher
Signed by Daniel Joseph Okafor: __________________________
Date: 6 January 2027
Witness signature: __________________________ Witness name: Miriam Cole
Witness address: 3 Hazelbank Terrace, Bristol BS6 5RJ
Witness occupation: Primary-school teacher
Each witness confirms that the relevant parent signed or acknowledged the signature in the witness's presence and that the witness is not Amelia, is not signing as a parent, and is over 18. The parents understand that this witness statement may not satisfy every prescribed filing requirement and will obtain the correct form and directions before filing.