Signatures on the Contract

[KSDC]

I have a new family starting next week. DCM just dropped off her paperwork. After she left, I noticed that she signed my contract, but Dad didn't. I am sure that this was just an oversight and she just forgot to have him do it.
I am going to ask her to have him sign it and I don't anticipate it being a problem.

But it got me to thinking: Does he have to sign it? If the child lives with mom and dad who are married, do I need to have both signatures?
My gut reaction is to say that he needs to sign too. But, does he "have" to?
How could it come back to bite a DCP if only one parent signed the contract?

Share your experience and wisdom with me ladies.

[Naptime yet?]

From what I understand, both parents signing the contract safeguards you from any loopholes, like dcd picks up late, you remind him of the late fee, he says he's unaware of it & refuses to pay. And what repercussion do you have? He didn't sign the contract .

[SignMeUp]

No real experience or problems with this, except that I've noticed that recent forms from the state/county require both parents' signatures.

Of course, now it irritates me that the rest of the forms do not require both. So I have gone in and re-done some of them for my own use :: I really do hate inconsistency.

I think you should assume it was an oversight and ask him to sign it

I now buy those itty bitty arrow post-its and put them on EVERY. SINGLE. SIGNATURE. SPOT. because so many are so easy to miss. It's a rare enrollment these days that would come out with every signature, without my directing them to the spaces. (I think the amount of paperwork is now overwhelming to parents. And that they don't care what they're signing. Until they do :: It's kind of like clicking the "continue, I agree" box on any web app.)

[CraftyMom]

I only have one parent sign my contract...should they both???

Whoever is "in charge". It's usually the mom ::

[TomCopeland]

Contract

I have a new family starting next week. DCM just dropped off her paperwork. After she left, I noticed that she signed my contract, but Dad didn't. I am sure that this was just an oversight and she just forgot to have him do it.
I am going to ask her to have him sign it and I don't anticipate it being a problem.

But it got me to thinking: Does he have to sign it? If the child lives with mom and dad who are married, do I need to have both signatures?
My gut reaction is to say that he needs to sign too. But, does he "have" to?
How could it come back to bite a DCP if only one parent signed the contract?

Share your experience and wisdom with me ladies.

You want both parents signing in all situations where both parents have custody. If not, you won't be able to enforce your contract against the parent who didn't sign. For example, the mother is paying you and the father didn't sign the contract. You can't force the father to pay you. If you have to sue the mother in court for your money, you can't sue the father. If the parents are separated, or later divorced, you can't go after the father (who may have more money).