"The team helps single parents free of charge, without obligation and confidentially in all matters relating to paternity, parental care, maintenance matters and all associated certifications," says Dr. Roswitha Krum, head of the specialist service.
For example, you can turn to the "Beistandschaft" if a father wants to recognize or not recognize his paternity, but also if an unmarried couple wishes to take joint custody of their child, whether born or not yet born. The employees also help if a child moves to the other parent and is now being looked after by them, and if a young adult wants to find out more about educational maintenance.
Who can get advice?
The team can be contacted by expectant parents and caring parents with whom the child lives or young adults (up to the age of 21).
Parentage of the child
When it comes to the child's parentage, the employees advise and support mothers in paternity matters, before or after the birth of the child. They certify acknowledgements of paternity before or after the birth of the child, represent the child in court if the father does not voluntarily acknowledge paternity and help to clarify the actual parentage of the child if the man registered as the father on the birth certificate is not the biological father of the child.
Joint parental custody
The team helps couples who are not married at the time of the birth of their child with legal issues relating to joint parental care. And on request, the staff will certify to the mother, who is not married to the father, whether a declaration of joint custody of the child has been made.
Maintenance matters
The employees also advise and support the caring parent in clarifying the child's maintenance claims - including calculating the maintenance and notarizing it accordingly. They also support the parent with whom the child lives with regard to their own maintenance claims against the other parent. They advise young adults on their maintenance claims against their parents.
When disputes arise over child maintenance
"If no amicable arrangement can be reached with the parent who is liable to pay maintenance," says Dr. Roswitha Krum, "the parent with care has the option of setting up a guardianship for the minor child." However, this does not mean that parental custody would be restricted in any way should it become necessary for the guardian to represent the child in court.
Notarization
One focus of the assistance office's work is the notarization of paternity acknowledgements, declarations of consent by mothers to acknowledge paternity and declarations on the exercise of joint parental custody.
Contact us
The Assistance Team is located at Joachim-Campe-Straße 9 to 11 in Lebenstedt, on the 1st floor.
Initial contact can be made by calling 05341 / 839-4517 or sending an e-mail to 51-beistandschaftenstadt.salzgitterde.