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Declaration of Parentage: When Might This Be Relevant?

A Declaration of Parentage declares whether a named person is or is not the legal or biological parent of another person under English law. It can clarify and confirm parentage or alternatively, it can declare the removal of parentage for English legal purposes. Recently, there have been several cases involving Declarations of Parentage following legal disputes after unregulated sperm donation involving serial sperm donor Joe Donor, rushed licensed sperm donation and disputed co-parenting arrangements as well as disputes about whether a child was conceived naturally or by assisted conception. Added to this, applications for a Declaration of Parentage can be relevant when people seek to correct or re-register a birth certificate for a variety of reasons.
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National Rainbow Baby Day 2025

This year National Rainbow Baby Day takes place on 22 August 2025. A ‘Rainbow Baby’ is a child born after a family loses a baby and this special child is often seen a symbol of new hope for a family that has experienced such traumatic loss. Established in 2018, National Rainbow Baby Day honours those babies lost to stillbirth, miscarriage, complications during pregnancy or following birth, all the while celebrating the Rainbow Babies who bring such joy to the lives of their family and parents. National Rainbow Baby Day is an opportunity for families to reflect on their children, those who are with them physically, and those who will forever be with them in spirit.
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The Risks of Unregulated Sperm Donation: Serial Sperm Donor Joe Donor

The recent case of Re CA and Ors (Children of Unregulated Sperm Donor) [2025] EWFC 130 brings into focus the threats posed by unregulated sperm donation, specifically at the hand of serial sperm donor known as ‘Joe Donor’. In this case, Mr Justice Poole determines whether ‘Joe Donor’ – officially named Robert Albon – has any rights to a Declaration of Parentage, a Parental Responsibility Order and a Child Arrangements Order for two of the possible 180 children he has fathered. The case also brings to light the vulnerabilities of the two children’s mothers and raises concerns about exploitation and abuse that can accompany informal sperm donation, and what this means for the best interests of the children involved.
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F v J & Others [2024] and the Pitfalls of Mismatched Expectations, Rushed Known Sperm Donation and Co-Parenting Arrangements

F v J & Others [2024[ EWHC 2802 (Fam) is a case which deals with the realities and challenges of co-parenting and highlights the complexities of known sperm donation - how it should be approached with great care and proactive management of the legal aspects which underpin these family building arrangements. Specifically, it raises issues of legal parentage in the context of known sperm donation and assisted reproduction, and what can happen when this process is rushed or hurried. Additionally, this case raises concerns around communication in co-parenting relationships, and stresses the importance of the stability of those relationships, both for the benefit of the parents, and for the wellbeing of the child.
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