Table 2.

Accompanying male adult reports he is the parent

Scenario	Know	Ask	If in doubt, ask for:
A child is accompanied to the research site by an adult male who says he is the parent	That a male over 18 who is the biological father of a child is the parent but is not automatically the legal guardian[7]	‘Are you the biological father?’	A signed affidavit from a respected community leader to attest to one of the conditions
		‘Are you now, or were you ever marriedto the mother when she was pregnantor after the birth?’ (civil or customarymarriage)
			or
	To also be a guardian: -he must be married to the child’s mother, or have been married to her during the pregnancy, or any time after the baby’s birth or -he was living with her in a committed partnership at the time of the birth or -he consented to being identified as the child’s father or -he paid damages in terms of customary law or -he contributes or has contributed to the child’s upbringing and expenses.[7]		Ask for an unabridged birth certificate (from Department of Home Affairs)
		or ‘Were you living with the child’s mother when the child was born?’
		or ‘Have you admitted to others that s/he is your child?’
		or ‘Does the child use your surname?’
		or ‘Do you help with caring for her/him?’
		or ‘Do you help with paying for her/his needs?’
		If one of these questions can be answered easily, then do not seek documentation