Bacic Services are provided:

The Child Support Enforcement Agency can help locate the non-custodial parent who is absent from the home and has a financial obligation to support children. Child support staff uses local, state, and federal sources to find a non-custodial parent such as NC Department of Driver's Licenses, NC Department of Motor Vehicles, NC Employment Security Commission, NC Department of Corrections, NC Vital Statistics, Federal Inmate Locator, NC Employment Security Commission, and the Wildlife Commission.

Paternity means fatherhood. Establishing paternity means a person named as the father of a child has been legally determined to be the father. Establishment of paternity is necessary only when the mother is not married to the father of the child. Paternity must be determined legally before a child support order can be established.

Both parents have a right and a need to know that they have contributed to the future development of their child.

Identity: We all have a basic need to know who we are and who our family members are. By knowing both parents we have a better understanding of our own identity and past. Establishing paternity will help to strengthen a child's emotional growth by providing an added sense of security as well as aiding in the child's social and psychological development.

There are several ways that paternity may be established. A brief explanation of each of them is listed below. If you have questions about any method, or need help to determine which may best meet your needs, you may contact the Child Support office or legal counsel.

Hospital-Based Paternity: North Carolina provides the opportunity for a father to acknowledge paternity at the time of a child's birth. This is a simple procedure whereby parents sign the Affidavit of Parentage form in the hospital. This allows the father's name to be placed on the birth certificate, and also serves as a legal acknowledgment of paternity. Paternity may be established by signing this affidavit if:

• the mother was unmarried when she became pregnant or when the child was born, and
• the father is willing to sign an affidavit stating that he is the father of the child.

This Affidavit of Parentage is filed with the State Registrar (Vital Records) and legally declares the paternity of your child.

Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity: If you did not establish paternity at the time of birth, you may choose to do so at a later date. The mother and father sign documents acknowledging they are the parents of a child. These signed statements are presented to the court and an Order of Paternity is entered. This legally establishes paternity for a child.

Genetic Testing: If there are any doubts regarding the paternity of a child, you should not sign any paternity declaration documents. Genetic tests can be performed to determine the paternity of a child. These tests will show that a man is not the father of a child or indicates the probability that he is the child's father. The test results provide reliable information to aid parents and judges in parentage determinations.

Court-Ordered Paternity Establishment: If the parents do not agree to voluntarily establish paternity, legal action may be filed with the court to establish paternity for a child. After all evidence is presented, a judge will decide if paternity should be ordered.

---

---