What is the difference between acknowledgement and custody?
An increasing number of children are born from a relationship between unmarried parents. In such cases, an adult mother usually has sole custody over the child after birth.
You can acknowledge your child if you are not the legal father of your child. That is, if you are not married to the mother of the child. If you acknowledge a child then you become the legal parent of the child. You then have a number of rights and obligations.
After the acknowledgement, the father does not immediately also have custody over the child. If the parents are not married then the mother retains full custody even after the acknowledgement. She does not need permission from the father to arrange important matters for the child such as doctor's visits, arranging a passport or travelling abroad with the child.
Do you also want to become the legal representative of the child? In other words, looking after the child's interests and being able to make important decisions about the child together? Then you must also apply for (joint) custody after the acknowledgement.