Summary

I am campaigning to change the serious parental bias we have within our law and family court system. Fathers are facing an epidemic of parental alienation and it needs to be stopped and addressed by the government.

Unfortunately our children are the ones that suffer within these scenarios and we really need to start putting them first.  My plan is to lobby the MP’s in parliament to start addressing our concerns and to start pushing through the laws that will benefit all of our children. The starting point of this is to ensure that both parents are in their lives and that they are well balanced healthy children.

This campaign is a very close subject for me and is the main reason why I am campaigning, I am currently dealing with such a situation.  When you are in a relationship no one ever envisages a break up and to be honest, it should never really enter your mind especially when everything is going well. On the other hand what would happen if you have a child then break up, what are the repercussions of such a decision?

The picture above exemplifies the situation some fathers who go through a divorce or breakup have to face. Personally, I know what this can do to you both mentally and emotionally especially when the child who you love is suddenly taken away from you and feelings of helplessness and desperation overwhelm you.  No father should be stopped from seeing his child unless magistrates have issued him a court order as they believe the father is at risk of harming the child and it's in the child’s best interest to do so. Otherwise, no matter what the situation, it is important that both parents are in the lives of their child(ren) so they continue to feel loved as the child’s physical, emotional and educational needs are important.

The law needs to be changed so that if there is a break up or divorce, mothers do not feel they have the right to disappear with the child and refuse any contact with the father.  Furthermore, some mothers, even though they have made the choice to disappear with the child and forfeit any support that a man can give them, will then contact the Child Maintenance Services (CMS) while still hiding the child from the father. The mother is clearly breaching the fathers parental and basic human rights and should be held accountable for their actions but, yet the CMS supports the mother and insist that fathers pay maintenance for the child.

So many fathers have campaigned for this but sadly, don’t seem to be taken seriously and the courts still tend to be in favour of the mother keeping the child.

This sort of behaviour is unacceptable, malicious and needs to be changed. Children are not toys or a weapons for personal ‘retribution’. They deserve both parents equally in their lives and need to receive support financially and emotionally from both parents.  All I want is a fairer, legal system that puts children first and helps prevent bitter family feuds.The attitude towards fathers is deplorable and something needs to be done.

The two main things in law which I would like the to see changed are:

• To support fathers that have their children deliberately taken away and their whereabouts are unknown
• Undertake an independent investigation into the Child Maintenance Services when claims have been submitted.

I would also like to recommend the following;

• Anyone deliberately withholding a child(ren) from the other parent must have their application thoroughly investigated and subsequently rejected
• Parents who claim child maintenance are to provide monthly receipts to prove that the money received from CMS is being spent on the child’s welfare
• A full independent investigation into Child Maintenance Services policies, practices and procedures must be carried out by an independent body
• A change is made in the law with regards to fathers rights over their children, whereby ex-partners cannot disappear with children or deny access (the main exception being if the father is a risk to the child)
• Clear outlined penalties for parents that disappear or deny access to be published and written in law
• Additional contact centres
• Free parental mediation
• Early intervention service to avoid parental alienation

The claims from some mothers needs to be addressed as it is not always as straightforward as it appears. There seems to be a culture whereby support is given to mothers even when they make uncorroborated and unsubstantiated claims.  What is required is mothers to be honest, open and authentic so they can get the help and support and fathers can have contact with their child and be able to give them the love they need. Please support my campaign for a fairer legal system that brings families together as opposed to dividing them.