Families Need Fathers warmly welcomes the Government’s decision to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in full and is happy to have been a supporter in this campaign by the Children Rights Alliance for England.



The UK ratified the treaty in December 1991; however Families Need Fathers remains concerned that the Government is still not fulfilling the obligations laid down by international law to ensure that children have a right to a relationship with both parents. The action today, which removes the objections to elements regarding migrants and asylum seekers, will bring that one step closer.



John Baker, FNF trustee, commented “This is about making the Convention work for children, as currently we are failing them.”



Article 9 (1) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that:



“Parties shall ensure that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will, except when competent authorities subject to judicial review determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures, that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child. Such determination may be necessary in a particular case such as one involving abuse or neglect of the child by the parents, or one where the parents are living separately and a decision must be made as to the child's place of residence.”



Mr Baker added that “children have a right to a relationship with both parents and the Government is not satisfying its duty to support this. We demand that more action is needed to incorporate this into policy.”