Fathers 'r' Us

Children to get access rights to both parents

2012-02-05T08:49:00.001Z

3 February 2012 Children are to get legal rights to maintain relationships with both parents after separation, as part of a shake-up of the family justice system. New rules will make clear that contact with both mothers and fathers is vital, the Department for Education said. But ministers are likely to disappoint fathers' rights groups by ruling out a legal guarantee of equal access.

Divorced mums and dads could get legal right to see their children

2012-01-05T22:12:00.000Z

Divorced parents will be given a legal right to see their children under plans being drawn up by ministers, The Daily Telegraph can disclose. Source: Telegraph Courts will be put under a legal duty to ensure that both fathers and mothers are given access to children in divorce settlements. Parents who refuse to accept the orders will be in contempt of court and risk serious penalties

Fathers lose bid for equal custody rights after review of family law

2011-11-02T10:03:00.002Z

Fathers’ hopes of securing equal rights over their children will be dashed tomorrow when a review of family law is published. Plans to give parents equal rights to share custody of their children in the event of a split have been rejected by the Family Justice Review, led by former civil servant and businessman David Norgrove. In a further blow to fathers’ rights campaigners, the Norgrove

Commandos4Justice

2011-09-06T10:08:00.000+01:00

Commandos4Justice: Marines join dads' rights battle by pulling stunt on Afghanistan front line Source: Daily Mirror 06 September 2011 MARINES on a dangerous mission in Afghanistan risk the wrath of their superiors by backing a new campaign to help estranged dads get better access to their kids. Taking up arms for the outspoken campaigners could result in a carpeting from top brass –

One in four primary schools in England still has no male registered teacher, statistics show.

2011-09-02T10:06:00.000+01:00

Source: BBC Fathersrus General Teaching Council for England figures show a slight improvement on last year, with 27.2% schools with no male teachers, down from 27.8%. There are just 48 male teachers in state nurseries. Education Secretary Michael Gove said more male teachers were needed but they were put off by worries that teacher-pupil contact was a "legal minefield". In total, women

Hunger4Justice: A Letter to the Prime Minister David Cameron.

2011-07-13T11:17:00.001+01:00

Hunger4Justice: A Letter to the Prime Minister David Cameron. By Matt O'Connor Jun 26 2011 Dear Mr Cameron, My name is Matt O’Connor. I am the father of three boys aged 5, 13 and 15 and the founding father of Fathers 4 Justice. I am appealing to you not as a campaigner, but as a father. This is a rather lengthy but ultimately necessary tome, given the gravity of the situation I find myself

David Cameron: Absent fathers are as bad as drink drivers

2011-06-19T11:42:00.001+01:00

By Brendan Carlin 19 June 2011 Fathers who run out on their families should be ‘stigmatised’ in the same way as drink-drivers, David Cameron said last night. In an impassioned appeal to mark Father’s Day today, the Prime Min¬ister called for ‘runaway dads’ to be made to feel the ‘full force of shame’ for their actions. He insisted that it ‘simply isn’t acceptable’ for single mothers to be left

Single mother jailed after over DNA test

2011-05-17T10:47:00.001+01:00

Single mother jailed after paying for friend's son to take DNA test in bid to cut ex-lover out of her boy's life 16th May 2011 When lawyers unpicked plot, she still brought friend's son to court pretending he was hers. A young mother was so desperate to cut her former boyfriend out of their son’s life that she lied to a court about his paternity and arranged for a friend’s son to take a DNA

New paternity leave rules affecting men come into force

2011-04-03T16:37:00.000+01:00

New paternity leave rules affecting men come into force New paternity leave rules have come into effect meaning that parents will be legally entitled to share time off work during their baby's first year. The move means parents could take six months off work each. The government hopes to extend the measures with a fully flexible system of shared parental leave in 2015. However, the Federation

Cafcass should be Abolished.

2011-03-31T16:43:00.000+01:00

Family courts body Cafcass is now beyond reform and should be abolished, a committee of MPs was told this week. Appearing before the Justice Select Committee, Martha Cover, respresenting the Interdisciplinary Alliance for Children – a group of 18 organisations, including Nagalro and the Association of Lawyers for Children – told MPs: "We have considered the possibility of reform rather than

The Family Justice Review panel

2011-03-31T15:11:00.001+01:00

The Family Justice Review panel today publishes its interim report on the family justice system in England and Wales. We have been impressed by the skill and dedication of the people who work in family justice and also by the many thoughtful contributions we have received from users of the system. We would like to thank warmly all those who have contributed to our work so far. We believe

New fathers to get TEN MONTHS off: Firms attack Clegg's plans to extend paid paternity leave

2011-02-09T13:42:00.000Z

Fathers will be given up to ten months of paid paternity leave under plans outlined today by Nick Clegg. With backing from David Cameron, the Deputy Prime Minister condemned ‘Edwardian’ attitudes to childcare and traditional family roles. His plans, which business leaders last night described as a ‘complete nightmare’, go even further than those championed under Labour by Harriet Harman.

Top judge says mothers should have children taken away if they don't let fathers see them

2010-11-27T12:22:00.002Z

Mr Justice Coleridge: Called for 'three strikes and you're out' rule Mothers who refuse to let separated fathers see their children should have them taken away, a senior family court judge said yesterday. The children should be handed over to the full time care of the father if the mother persistently defies court orders, Mr Justice Coleridge said. He called for a ‘three strikes and you’

Kenneth Clarke calls a halt to the legal aid gravy train

2010-11-17T23:43:00.000Z

Legal aid for claims against hospitals & doctors halted Half a million court cases no longer funded by taxpayer Fees to solicitors and barristers cut by 400m a year Ministers pledged yesterday to take an axe to the compensation culture and slash lawyers’ multi-million-pound earnings. State legal aid will no longer pay for claims against hospitals and doctors or schools and colleges, over

Lord chief justice calls for reform of family system.

2010-10-29T14:28:00.006+01:00

Tuesday 26 October 2010 by James Dean The adversarial court system is not appropriate for settling parental disputes over the custody of children, the lord chief justice said today. Giving evidence to the House of Commons’ justice committee, Lord Judge (pictured) said he has ‘real concerns’ that the adversarial system ‘leaves a great deal to be desired’ in cases where there are no allegations

Child benefit fiasco

2010-10-05T10:34:00.001+01:00

Cameron bows to middle class fury and promises to help the stay-at-home mums hit hardest by cuts. Cameron suggests new measures to help stay-at-home mothers Children's Minister: benefit thresholds may need to be revised Labour claims new middle-class benefits policy is 'unravelling' David Cameron suggested today he would introduce new measures to help stay-at-home mothers after a furious

Judge attacks 'ogre' parents for damaging children in divorce wars

2010-09-21T23:04:00.000+01:00

Well-educated parents who split up and wage war in court must not speak badly of each other in front of their children, Britain's most senior family court judge has warned. In an attack on intelligent middle class parents, who he suggested were the worst culprits, Sir Nicholas Wall said separated couples were often 'fighting the battles' of their relationship while using their children as 'both

Missing boy Andrew Thompson aged 6yrs found in Foster Care?

2010-09-10T10:55:00.017+01:00

Missing Australian boy Andrew Thompson found after three years AN Australian boy who went missing almost three years ago has been found in Northern Europe, bringing an end to his father's desperate search.Andrew Thompson was abducted in 2008 by his mother Melinda Stratton after she was diagnosed with a mental disorder.Despite a worldwide search, Ms Stratton eluded authorities until Monday when

BBC reports experience of Ward family

2010-08-27T09:15:00.001+01:00

Panorama investigates work of family courts in children proceedings BBC reports experience of Ward family This week's Panorama programme on BBC 1 reports the experience of Victoria and Jake Ward who were investigated by police and social services when they were unable to explain a serious injury to their three-month old son, William. The Wards were arrested and questioned by police on suspicion

Parents win legal battle to name doctor who accused them of child abuse

2010-08-23T16:08:00.003+01:00

A couple cleared of injuring their baby son have won a legal battle to identify the doctor who gave evidence against them. By Patrick Sawer When Victoria and Jake Ward saw their baby son crying and refusing to feed, they took him to their doctor. When the cause of his pain could not be found, they took him back twice more. The professional couple were shocked to be told eventually that

Courts Grind Families into dust

2010-08-21T23:32:00.005+01:00

Another day, another father takes his life and that of his child for fear of losing him via the human waste processing unit that is the secret Family Courts. I had the misfortune to be in Southampton family court today myself. A waiting area sardine packed with young children and desperate mums and dads. Circling overhead were the solicitors picking off the meat left on the human carcasses. It

Welsh dad protests on Cameron’s roof

2010-08-21T12:10:00.001+01:00

A DAD dressed as Superman climbed on to the Prime Minister’s constituency office roof yesterday, vowing to stay there for days. Jeremy Pogue, from Cefn Hengoed, was one of three New Fathers For Justice protesters dressed as superheroes, who scaled David Cameron’s office with snacks and supplies, demanding equal rights for fathers. Thames Valley Police officers were on stand-by on the ground

Rise in teenage promiscuity and abortions is linked to women's binge drinking

2010-08-21T11:50:00.002+01:00

Legacy of the ladette: Now alarming rise in teenage promiscuity and abortions is linked to women's binge drinking.By Sophie Borland The devastating effects of excess alcohol on young women have been spelled out by a major study. Binge drinking ‘ladettes’ are 40 per cent likelier to have an abortion. And the proportion of teenage girls who blame alcohol for losing their virginity has more than

My battle for dads' rights.

2010-08-20T10:20:00.004+01:00

My battle for dads' rights by Corelli author Author Louis de Berni - Family break-up left him 'suicidalBy Emily Andrews The best-selling author Louis de Bernieres has called for equal custody rights for fathers, revealing that he was left ' suicidal' after splitting from the mother of his children. The millionaire novelist also attacked the 'sacredness of motherhood' and described current custody

Children are being damaged due to delays in the courts, claims Barnardo’s

2010-08-20T02:33:00.001+01:00

Martin Narey Care applications taking more than a year to be decided. Data published by Barnardo's show that family courts are taking up to 65 weeks to determine care applications. The charity says that vulnerable children are waiting on average more than a year (57 weeks) in unstable family homes or emergency foster placements before a county court decides if they will be taken into care. In