An Illinois resident who has custody of a child may find that a need to seek public assistance related to the medical care of the child may arise. In such cases, a public entity may have to conduct activities related to the support of the child in question, and the cooperation of the custodial adult may be required.
The effects of establishing paternity
According to Illinois law, if an unmarried couple has a child together, the father will not have any legal rights regarding custody or visitation unless he establishes paternity. The mother will also not be able to obtain child support payments unless the father's paternity has been established. A man who believes himself to be the father of a child may register with the Putative Father Registry either before or within 30 days of a child's birth.
Petitioning for visitation in Illinois
Chicago parents who do not have custody of their children may petition the court for visitation. Alternatively, these parents may ask that provisions of this nature be included in their divorce decree.
What types of custody are there in Illinois?
Most people in Illinois think custody only refers to where a child will live most of the time. Legally, however, custody also refers to the ability of one or both parents to make important decisions for the child in such areas as medical, educational, counseling and religious choices. This decision-making ability is referred to as legal custody.
