Paternity Test- Frequently Asked Questions.
The most common questions asked by our clients and their answers are listed below. If you have any other questions, then please do not hesitate to contact us on our free phone number, 0808 145 5789 or by email to sales@dadcheck.com
What is a dadcheck® test?
A dadcheck® paternity test is exactly what it says! We work out whether or not there is a possibility of an individual being the biological father of a particular child. This is sometimes called a paternity test. Each and every one of us is unique. This uniqueness comes from our genetic code, which we have inherited equally from our biological mother and biological father. The dadcheck® paternity test detects the presence of regions of this unique genetic code, which can in turn be used to determine if individuals are related. We analyse your genetic code and the results are displayed as a series of coloured bands. We then look at these bands from both mother and father to see if every band in the child is present in the parents. If so, there is a good chance that the child and parents are biologically related.
How much does a dadcheck® test cost?
A non-accredited dadcheck® paternity test, which covers the cost of testing mother, alleged father and a child is £189 (inc. VAT). Any additional people to be tested is an extra £59 (inc. VAT) per person. We strongly recommend that the mother of the child to be tested is also involved in the DNA test and to reflect this, the price does not change if the mother is not tested. The price for an accredited paternity test which covers the cost of testing mother, alleged father and a child is £295 (inc. VAT). Any additional people to be tested is an extra £89 (inc. VAT) per person.
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How accurate is the dadcheck® paternity test?
A standard dadcheck® paternity test proves with 100% accuracy if a man is not the father of a child alternatively, a standard dadcheck® test proves that he is the father of a child with 99.99% certainty (if the mother is involved). Please not that this figure can be reduced if the mother of the tested child does not participate in the test. Analysis using your genetic code is the most accurate way of determining whether or not a biological relationship exists.
What is the consent form?
All people providing a sample for a dadcheck® paternity test must give their consent for the test. When we send you, your clients GP or designated sampler the testing kit, we will include consent forms for each party to be tested (which you will have indicated on the registration form or to us by telephone).
You should be aware that it is a serious offence for any of your clients, punishable by imprisonment, to impersonate another body for the purpose of providing a bodily sample or to proffer the wrong child for that purpose.
How long does a dadcheck® DNA test take and how can I check on its progress?
From the time we receive the samples, the test will take around 5 to10 working days to process. To check on the progress of a test, please call the dadcheck® case line on 0191 516 6633 and have your unique case reference number handy (DCX####), which you will be given once you have ordered your DNA test. If your case is more urgent we can offer an express service which delivers results to you within 72 hours of receipt of your samples into our facility for testing. Please call us to find out more.
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What is Parental Responsibility (PR)?
Parental Responsibility (PR) means that the person concerned has all of the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority that a parent of a child has by law*. Where a child’s parents were married to each other at the time of the child’s birth, each parent will have Parental Responsibility for the child.
If a child’s parents are not married to each other, the mother shall automatically have Parental Responsibility over the child. Where the parents are not married to each other, the father will acquire Parental Responsibility if he acts with the mother to have his name recorded on the child’s birth registration after 1st December 2003.
An unmarried father will not be able to claim Parental Responsibility unless he acquires it by:
- Obtaining a court order
- Registering a legally written agreement subject to the mother’s consent
- Marriage to the child’s mother
- Being granted a residence order
- Having his name on the child’s birth certificate (for births registered after December 2003)
People other than parents may acquire Parental Responsibility by appointment as a guardian or by an order of the court.
You may wish to consider this if you have other children. If you are unsure of your status with respect to PR, we strongly recommend that you take advice from a family law solicitor, the Citizens Advice Bureau or your local Registrars Office.
*As defined in the Children Act 1989.
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What about a dadcheck® test involving only one parent?
The dadcheck® paternity test is conclusive if we can test all three of the child, mother and alleged father. A test without a sample from the mother will not provide the same degree of certainty as a test with samples from both parents. The written consent of the legal guardian of the child is ESSENTIAL for a dadcheck® paternity test on a child under 16 years of age.
A consent form will be included in the pack we send to you and MUST be correctly filled in and returned to us BEFORE we undertake any testing on your client’s behalf.
Does sampling hurt?
No. In most cases the sample will be taken by gently rubbing a soft swab around the inside of the mouth. Full instructions are included in the dadcheck® sample collection kit. The procedure is simple and painless and can be used on very young children and babies. If you are unsure and would like some friendly guidance then please feel free to contact us on 0191 516 6632 and one of our trained samplers will be happy to talk you through the process.
How are sample donors identified at the time of sampling?
When you take the sample, please provide two passport size photographs and ask the person taking the sample to sign them on the back, certifying that the sample has been taken from the person in the photograph. Please note that this is an essential requirement for those individuals participating in an accredited DNA test. If at a later date, there is any debate over the identity of the person who donated a sample for testing then one of the photographs and a copy of the donors consent form may be provided to the disputing party/organisation concerned for clarification. Please note that is NOT necessary for all individuals who are giving a sample to all be present together at the same sampling venue at the same time or indeed to be in the same place. However, at the time of sampling, a child who is under sixteen MUST be accompanied by the person with parental responsibility, as indicated on the consent form.
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Can the dadcheck® paternity test results be used in court?
Yes, ACCREDITED dadcheck® paternity test results can be used in court but we cannot promise that privately arranged tests, i.e. non-accredited, will be. We recommend that if test results are to be given as evidence in court, go through your family law solicitor. dadcheck® has a large number of solicitors and social services/local authority departments as clients who regularly use our DNA test results in court.
What if a close relative is the suspected father? Can a dadcheck® paternity test still identify the father?
Yes it can but the test is more complicated. If you suspect a close relative may be one of the alleged fathers, then it would be useful for us to know this at the time of ordering as it may affect the way we process your case in the laboratory. As with all other information that you provide, this will be treated with the strictest of confidence.
What will the dadcheck® paternity report say?
When we send you or your representative the results of your dadcheck® paternity test it will be in a format which complies with UKAS requirements and relevant legislation* and either excludes the alleged father or provides evidence that he is the biological father. All adult parties tested (including the person with parental responsibility for the child) are entitled to receive their own written copy of the DNA test report. Please note that we can only discuss the test and its outcome with the contracting party.
Result report format:
If the dadcheck® paternity test is negative (that is, the tested man is not the child’s biological father), the report will say:
‘Based on the analysis of 10 independent autosomal DNA markers (SGM Plus), Mr Hugh Izzit has been excluded as the biological father of Teresa Green because greater than two of Mr Hugh Izzit’s DNA components are absent from the DNA profile of Teresa Green.
In summary, Mr Hugh Izzit is not the biological father of the child, Teresa Green’.
If the dadcheck® paternity test is positive (that is, the tested man is likely to be the father), the report will say:
Probability of Paternity:
The probability of paternity is 99.99% (assuming equal prior odds) based on the analysis of 10 independent DNA markers (using SGM Plus). Hence the alleged father, Mr Hugh Izzit, cannot be excluded as the biological father of Teresa Green.
Likelihood ratio:
The DNA results are ‘X’ thousand times more likely if Mr Hugh Izzit rather than an unrelated male is the biological father of Teresa Green.
In summary:
It is more than 99% likely that the alleged father Mr Hugh Izzit, is the biological father of Teresa Green’.
The value of 'X' will vary between cases but will usually exceed 50,000.
* The Family Law Reform Act 1969 as amended by The Family Law Reform Act 1987 and The Family Law Reform Act 1987 (commencement No.3) order 2001 and The Children Act 1989.
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How do I get the results of my dadcheck® paternity test?
By law, all adults who have provided a sample for a dadcheck® DNA test are entitled to receive their own copy of the DNA test report. We shall send this letter to all those from whom we have received consent (including the person with Parental Responsibility for the child, even if this person did not donate a sample for testing). However, we shall only deal in other correspondence with the individual making the payment, that is the contracting party. All results reports are dispatched by first class post or courier if required (extra charges will apply).
What happens to the results?
After we have sent out your DNA test reports, we store your DNA samples for three months. After this period, they are taken away for incineration (destruction). All associated case paperwork and records are kept for one year and then destroyed. We are registered under the 1998 Data Protection Act. You can find more information about how we protect your privacy by reading our privacy policy.
How sure am I that the samples have not been mixed up?
dadcheck® uses all reasonable precautions to make sure that samples received for testing cannot be mixed up. Our team of highly skilled and qualified scientists adhere to strict laboratory requirements of internationally recognised quality standards, ISO 17025 (an accreditation for testing and calibration laboratories) and BS EN ISO9001:2008. Included in this is the requirement for all work to be witnessed and double-checked by a second competent member of scientific staff. We have every confidence in our team and supporting Quality Management System and as such are happy to repeat any test case (performed by dadcheck®) free of charge, should your client require more confirmation of the original test results.
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