Family & Safety

Signing the VAP at the hospital

If the mother of a child is not married to the other would-be parent when the child is born, hospital staff will give her a Voluntary Acknowledgement of Parentage (VAP) form.  If both sign the VAP at the hospital, parentage will be established. The other parent's name will be added to the child's birth certificate A legal document with a person's place of birth, time of birth, and parents .

Signing the VAP later

If the mother and would-be parent do not sign the VAP before leaving the hospital, both can complete it later and mail it to the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. The parent's name will then be added to the child's birth certificate.

To fill out a VAP, use our Voluntary acknowledgement of parentage program. 

Parentage The relationship between a parent and a child is now established. This means that both parents must pay to support the child and can ask for parental responsibilities (custody) like decision-making power and parenting time Time that a child spends with a parent. Usually, the child lives mostly with one parent and has regular contact with the other (formerly called visitation). (visitation Time spent between a child and a person who is not the parent ). Learn more about Starting a case to get parental responsibilities or custody.