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You have or are expecting a child and the father of the child does not want to acknowledge his paternity or is unknown? Get advice on what you can do and who can help you.

If you have a child and are not married to the child's father, the father does not automatically become the child's legal father. This can be done by voluntarily acknowledging paternity.

If the father does not voluntarily acknowledge paternity or it is unclear who the father is, there is also the option of establishing paternity in court.

You can obtain advice on this from the Youth Welfare Office. The Youth Welfare Office will also support you in establishing paternity.

Once paternity has been established, you can clarify other matters:

• Child maintenance claims
• Maintenance claims of the mother
• custody rights
• Inheritance claims of the child
• Granting of the father's name

However, the child also has a right to know its origins.

You can apply for a guardianship to establish paternity.

The guardianship does not restrict parental custody. The guardian represents the child in the process of establishing paternity. The guardian can act on behalf of the child in and out of court. Once legal paternity has been established, the guardian can also clarify questions of maintenance.

Specifically, the guardian can do the following:

• Request the father to acknowledge paternity and record the necessary documents
• Arrange for the paternity to be clarified in court
• Calculating your child's maintenance entitlement
• Regular review of the maintenance claim
• Recording a deed of maintenance
• Judicial enforcement of the maintenance claim
• Collection and monitoring of maintenance payments
• Determining the whereabouts and employer of the parent liable for maintenance
• Initiation of enforcement measures

You can terminate the guardianship at any time by means of a written declaration.

Depending on requirements. No special documents are required for the consultation. If existing documents are brought along to the initial consultation, this enables a targeted consultation.

You can seek advice on this topic at any time.

The expectant mother can apply for guardianship before the child is born if she is not married and the parents have not made any joint declarations of custody.

After the birth, guardianship can be applied for at any time until the child reaches the age of majority.

Counseling and guardianship are free of charge.

Costs may be incurred in individual cases as a result of court proceedings conducted as part of a guardianship.

Make an appointment with the local youth welfare office. The appointment can also take place at home if you wish.

A written application to the local youth welfare office is sufficient for guardianship. Upon receipt of the application, the Youth Welfare Office immediately becomes the child's guardian. The youth welfare office at the place of residence of the parent making the application is responsible.

There are no special deadlines to be observed.

Upon receipt of the application for guardianship, the Youth Welfare Office immediately becomes the child's guardian.

The guardianship ends as soon as you notify the Youth Welfare Office in writing.

The Youth Welfare Office also does the following:

• The Youth Welfare Office advises and supports you in asserting maintenance claims.
• The Youth Welfare Office certifies acknowledgments of paternity and consent, maintenance claims, declarations of custody for joint custody and acknowledgments of maternity.
• The Youth Welfare Office issues certificates for unmarried mothers stating that there is no entry in the custody register and that the mother therefore has sole custody.

• Establishing paternity Advice and support
• If the father does not acknowledge paternity or the father is unknown
• Right to advice and support
• If established by the court: youth welfare office appoints counselor
• Counselor represents the mother
• Custody remains with the mother
• Responsible: Local youth welfare office