When two people who are not married are expecting a child, it can present some difficulties for the father. When the two people are no longer a couple, the father may not even know that he has a son or daughter on the way, which will make it hard for him to exercise his parental rights.
It may be hard to believe, but when a woman has a child and the father is not in the picture, the decision to place the child up for adoption can be made without the father’s consent. Often, when a child’s mother decides to give him or her up for adoption, the father is not in the picture and has no knowledge of the child’s existence. This makes it hard for him to object to the child’s adoption. Even after the child has been adopted, not knowing the child existed may not be enough to raise an objection to the adoption.
Fathers who know that they have a child and do not want him or her to be adopted should act quickly to prove paternity and put a stop to the adoption process. Should he fail to prove that he is the father of the child, the mother does not have to consult with the father.
A mother may decide that she does not want to raise the child, but that doesn’t mean that the father doesn’t. If a man has suspicions that a child is his, it is best that he take the necessary steps to prove paternity before it is too late. Anyone who needs help proving paternity or has questions about fathers’ rights may want to speak to an attorney.