In theory, both parents have the same rights to custody of their children, but it is still common for mothers to be given custody. There are various reasons for this, but an important point is that, if the matter is left to the courts to decide, they will usually take into account the strength of the connection each parent has to the children.
As it is still common for mothers to be the primary caregivers for children, this means they are generally more likely to be given custody. However, where a father acts as a primary caregiver, or where caregiving has been split equally, the mother should not automatically be favoured by a court.
It is important to note, however, that a father’s rights to his children will likely depend significantly on whether he has ‘parental responsibility’ for the children in question.