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 is 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 judicial determination of paternity.

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

With paternity established, you can clarify other matters:

• Maintenance claims of the child
• Maintenance claims of the mother
• Custody of the child
• Inheritance claims of the child
• Granting of the father's name

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

You can apply for a guardianship to establish paternity.

The guardianship does not restrict parental care. The guardian represents the child in the process of establishing paternity. The guardian can act on behalf of the child out of court and in court. Once legal paternity has been established, the guardian can also resolve issues of child support.

Specifically, the Advocate can do the following:

• Requesting the father to acknowledge paternity and recording the necessary documents.
• Arranging for the paternity to be clarified by the court
• Calculation of your child's maintenance entitlement
• Regular review of the child support claim
• Recording of a deed of support
• judicial enforcement of the maintenance claim
• Collection and control of alimony payments
• Determining the whereabouts and employer of the parent liable for maintenance payments
• Initiation of enforcement measures

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