Innovations in genetics or DNA testing are making it easier for people to find out about inherited illness or paternity (who the father of a child is). Although the procedures are very simple, usually just a blood sample or a saliva swab, there can be huge emotional turmoil as a result of paternity testing.
Before going ahead with a paternity test, it’s very important that you consider how you will feel if the result isn’t what you want or expect. The outcome can be devastating for the child involved and for the entire family. You might want to consider counseling first. This will help you decide if paternity testing is the right thing for you and your family. It can also help you choose how and when to talk to your child about what is happening.
It’s important to remember that a child who looks different, or has different health issues, to its brothers and sisters, doesn’t mean that you should question who the father is. Differences like these can be quite normal.
What can the test show?
Often conventional blood testing will provide enough information to determine if a man is the child’s true father or that there is a high probability he is not the father of the child. If the routine tests do not provide an answer a DNA test can prove whether or not there is a biological relationship.
The test will:
Prove 100 per cent that an alleged parent is not a parent of the child; or
Show a 99.99% probability that they are a parent of the child.
A parent of a child in the UK can apply to the CSA (Child Support Agency) for the assessment and collection of child maintenance. If the alleged father denies paternity, the CSA could take action to determine if he is the biological father of that child, which may involve undergoing a DNA test.
Private tests
By applying for a test privately, your GP will be able to arrange the blood test. Information on DNA testing clinics is available from court offices. Your GP may also have information about DNA testers who do private tests. Anybody having a test carried out privately will have to pay the fees, unless the client is involved in court proceedings and is receiving legal aid.
Court directed tests
If a court determines a test is necessary, the parents will usually have to pay the cost of the blood tests. Details of testers and their fees are held by the clerk of the court. The CAB (Citizens Advice Bureau) states that there is no maximum fee for a DNA test but it is likely to be approx £150 per person. It would be advisable to check the fees for the test in advance.
The British government issued a code of practice for paternity testing services in 2001. Companies must now also be accredited by the Department of Constitutional Affairs for genetic paternity testing. If the company does not have this accreditation, the results of their tests will not be valid in court.
This article is based on information from the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux.
