Same-sex parents in Jersey to be given greater legal rights

Same-sex parents in Jersey will have improved legal rights as new legislation is being drafted this year.

Jersey's Assistant Children's Minister, Deputy Louise Doublet, has confirmed that both the Children's Law and the Marriage and Civil Status Law will be updated to reflect modern family life in Jersey.

The law would allow both same-sex parents to be named on birth certificates and give legal parental status to islanders whose child is born to a surrogate mother.

Deputy Doublet says: “Both before and after taking office, enshrining the rights of same-sex parents in law has been one of my highest priorities.

“This work is progressing as quickly as possible: I continue to work closely with policy officers, and with the law drafting staff to ensure that we lodge this legislation as soon as we can.

"If approved by the States Assembly, it will mean that - for the first time - our Island’s legal system will protect the rights of same-sex parents, and recognise their families as equal."

What would the law cover:

• Both same-sex parents would be allowed to be named on a Jersey birth certificate

• Parental responsibility would automatically be provided to both same-sex parents

• Opposite-sex civil partners would be provided with legal parent status and parental responsibility in the same way as a married couple

• Legal parent status and parental responsibility would be afforded to parents whose child is born to a surrogate mother

• It would allow for the acquisition of parental responsibility by a step-parent by agreement

Deputy Doublet added that the law goes further than it's UK counterpart, as it would retrospectively grant these rights to the majority of same-sex parents on the island.

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