LGBT Legal issues inc. Lesbian couples named on birth Certificates

[juicy10]

That I believe used to be the case, our first child doesnt have us both on the birth certificate and we were married but it was before the bill was passed in 2009. Now if you conceive as a couple you can both legally be put on the birth certificate whether married or not. Makes life that bit easier as my wife and I had to go through months of interviews in order for her to adopt her own child. Good luck with everything but just listen to the girls at LWC they know what their talking about and a great bunch of people 

[FertilityFriends]

[NatGamble]

This is a bit of a late reply, but I thought it might be helpful to clarify anyway.  You can both go on the birth certificate if:

1) You are civil partners (or married overseas) at the time you conceive - this applies as long as you conceive artificially, and so covers home insemination as well as clinic treatment (i.e. anything which is not conceiving through sex) anywhere in the world. 

2) You are not civil partners but you conceive at a licensed clinic in the UK and, before you do, both sign the relevant 'parenthood election' forms (currently HFEA Forms WP and PP).  This is restricted to treatment at a clinic, and to treatment in the UK.  If you conceive by home insemination or abroad then you won't both be parents automatically.

These rules came into effect for conceptions on or after 6 April 2009 - before that only the birth mum was a legal parent.

There's more info about all this at http://www.nataliegambleassociates.co.uk/knowledge-centre/donor-conception-law-for-lesbian-mums which may be helpful too.

Hope that clears up any confusion though.

[SANFRAN06]

We eventually became legal parents to our boys today after 5 years!!!! The judge in court was so lovely and really involved the boys and made them feel like it was fun!! This step parent adoption has Been so long mainly due to Herts social services being So short staffed. Eventually we had an amazingly supportive social worker and my wife can now legally in all respects be the mama she has always been and will always be xxxx thanks nat for you advice many years ago !

[NatGamble]

Yay! That's such fantastic news - many congratulations

[rainbows_treasure]

Hi Natalie my partner and I are currently doing IVF and im wondering what form I need that nominates my partner as the other childs parent have got so many forms as this is our 5 try of fertility treatment praying it works thanks again x

[NatGamble]

Hi Rainbows


Sorry I've only just seen your message and this reply may be way too late now! For anyone else too, this thread has got massive and I'm not fab at checking so if I ever don't respond, try posting a specific message on Ask a Lawyer.


The forms you need (assuming you aren't married/CPs) are HFEA forms WP (for birth mum) and PP (for non birth mum) and both need to be signed after counselling and before IUI/ embryo transfer.


Best of luck with you treatment (or hopefully by now with pregnancy!).


Natalie