What this tool is for

Parental rights in the UK are not always obvious, and they do not always match what people assume. This checker gives you a plain English summary of where you stand on decisions about your child's schooling, medical treatment and day to day welfare, based on your own situation rather than a generic overview.

It covers parental responsibility, which is the legal term for the rights and duties a parent has, and flags the areas where you may need agreement from another parent or the courts.

When to use it

It is aimed at parents, step parents and carers who want a quick read on their legal position before making a decision or having a difficult conversation. That might be choosing a school, consenting to an operation, taking a child abroad, or sorting out contact after a separation.

It is useful whether you are married, unmarried, separated, divorced, or raising a child who is not biologically yours. It is not a substitute for advice from a family solicitor, and it will not resolve a dispute for you, but it should help you work out what your rights actually are and whether you need to take further steps.

How it works

You answer a short set of questions about your relationship to the child, whether you were married to the other parent, whether you are named on the birth certificate, and whether any court orders are in place. The tool then gives you a written summary of your parental responsibility and what it means in practice for education, health and welfare choices. Your answers are not saved, and you do not need to sign up or give any personal details to use it.