Acknowledgement of parenthood
- Service
- Helsinki
- Public service
If a child is born at a time when its parents were not married, parental and official measures may be required to acknowledge the child’s parenthood. Make an appointment with the child welfare supervisor to acknowledge parenthood.
Do the following
To whom and on what terms
The mother or parents of extramarital children.
The service is only for citizens of Helsinki.
Background information
The purpose of establishing parenthood is to obtain information on the basis of which a father or second mother can be confirmed or verified for a child. Before the parenthood of another person can be confirmed, it must be acknowledged.
The child’s mother is the person who gave birth to the child. If the mother is married to a man when the child is born, the husband is automatically the father of the child. This is also the case when the child is conceived with the help of fertility treatments.
If the mother giving birth is not married to the man, the parenthood of the other parent must be acknowledged and confirmed separately. The second mother must also acknowledge their parenthood, even if the mothers are married to each other.
A person can acknowledge their parenthood before the birth of the child at a maternity clinic to a public health nurse or midwife. They can also acknowledge their parenthood to a child welfare supervisor of their wellbeing services county. The mother carrying the child must be present at the maternity clinic or the child welfare supervisor’s office when the other parent acknowledges their parenthood. Both must present a valid identity document. If you intend to acknowledge your parenthood to a child welfare supervisor, you will need to bring a certificate of pregnancy with you.
Once the child is born, the Digital and Population Data Services Agency confirms the parenthood of the other parent.
If you did not acknowledge your parenthood during the pregnancy, you can acknowledge your parenthood after the child’s birth to a child welfare supervisor of your wellbeing services county.