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Paternity Testing & Investigation

Family Forensics offers a totally confidential and personal paternity testing service.

 

There are often many difficult issues to consider before you decide to undertake paternity testing, and you should take plenty of time before you decide to go-ahead. The NHS Choices website contains some guidance on paternity testing.

 

The Human Genetics Commission published, in August 2010, new guidance on DNA testing. You may want to take a look at this document: "A Common Framework of Principles for direct-to-consumer genetic testing services".

 

Paternity Testing - How It Works

Modern DNA profiling techniques make paternity testing very simple. At its simplest:

  • samples of DNA are taken from the child, mother and father (ideally). Samples are taken by rubbing a swab on the inside of the person's mouth - this is totally painless (see below for who can take these samples);

  • the samples are submitted to the DNA testing laboratory and analysed;

  • the DNA testing lab prepares and sends to you a simple report with the results of the test, which will clearly show any familial relationships between the people tested.

If you decide to go-ahead

There are some very specific issues of consent to be understood, before we can accept your instructions to undertake a paternity test. Please refer to our CONSENT page for more details.

 

How to take samples

It is really important that good DNA samples are taken from each individual being tested. We stipulate that the sampling must be undertaken by a qualified medical professional. There are two ways of doing this:

  1. you can nominate your GP (Doctor) to take the DNA paternity testing samples (as long as your GP agrees to this) or
  2. we can provide you with a list of approved samplers who can take the DNA paternity testing samples.

When you have chosen who will take your paternity test DNA samples and arranged an appointment for the sampling, we will send the DNA sampling kits, identification paperwork and any other appropriate paperwork directly to the nominated sampler.

 

When you and any other people go to have your DNA samples taken each person being sampled must take two passport sized photos with them to their appointment.

 

Once the samples are taken the sampler will post the paternity testing samples directly to our laboratory for testing.

 

That's it - we post you a report which will describe the results of the paternity test.

Confidentiality

The Family Forensics Paternity Testing service and your results are confidential. We will send a copy of the results to all adults who submitted a sample for testing - we don't send them to anyone else unless you ask us to.

Costs

Please contact Family Forensics for a quote.

 

 

If you wish to talk, in-confidence to one of our advisors, please contact Family Forensics now.