Press Release

Conservative Party re-affirms its commitment to Shared Parenting

Tim Loughton, M.P. for Worthing and Shoreham and Conservative Party spokesman on children, will re-affirm the support of his party for both parents to be treated equally in matters to do with their children, even if they do not live together. 

 He will do this as the keynote speaker at the Annual General Meeting of Families Need Fathers on Saturday 21 January, 12.00pm, at the Jubilee Library, Brighton.

 
He will say that children benefit in almost every way from the continuing involvement of both their parents, even if the parents no longer live together. They are healthier, happier, do better at school and in their careers and they become better parents and partners in their turn. They are less likely to get into trouble with the law or in other ways. The law needs to be changed such that there is a presumption of the right of children to a proper relationship with both their parents. This is not to ‘replace’ or dilute the duty of the court to make the welfare of the children the paramount consideration. Rather it is to make clear that this promotes their welfare.

A presumption of equal rights for parents and the need of the courts to promote a proper relationship between children and both parents does not, as argued by the NSPCC and others, expose children to risk. The presumption would be rebutted if there were safety risks. Everyone supports reasonable safety precautions. Actually, shared parenting promotes child safety. Much child abuse and many child deaths result from parents cracking under stress. Moves that reduce the stress on parents – for example sharing the sacrifices as well as the delights of parenting – will, in fact, promote child safety.

John Baker, FNF Chair, commented, ‘We welcome the stance of the Conservative Party on shared parenting. The need now is to make it a non-party political issue. We are meeting the Minister for Children, Maria Eagle M.P., next week. We will urge her to see the demand of non-residential parents for more time with their children not as a problem that has to be tackled but as an offer of a huge amount of loving care to children that will also benefit the wider society and the Government.’

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Families Need Fathers (FNF) is a registered charity providing information and support on shared parenting issues arising from family breakdown, and support to divorced and separated parents, irrespective of gender or marital status. Our primary concern is the maintenance of the child's relationship with both parents. Founded in 1974, FNF helps thousands of parents every year

Please see Families Need Fathers ‘programme for change’ Father’s Day Manifesto