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The UK's leading Shared Parenting charity

FNF is the leading UK charity supporting all parents - dads, mums and grandparents to have personal contact and meaningful relationships with their children following parental separation. We offer information, advice and support services helping parents to achieve a positive outcome for their children. Our online Forum and our network of over 50 UK Branches also offer pro-bono guidance of solicitors and others familiar with the operation of the family courts.

If you want detailed information or individual support for your case then you should join FNF - where as a member, you will gain access to our Forum in which experienced Volunteers, including solicitors and McKenzie Friends can answer your questions.  Visit your nearest FNF Branch where meetings are run by experienced and knowledgeable Volunteers who want to help you.  Some of the more established branches run solicitors' clinics for the benefit of our members.  We also have a telephone Helpline (0300 0300 363) which provides first-line support.

FNF membership costs £39 (less if you are renewing).  This is less than a few minutes of a typical solicitor's time - and could save you a fortune!  Find out more about joining or simply donate.  Your support allows us to continue our fight for parents and children denied a loving relationship.

 

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  • Families Need Fathers
    Families Need Fathers updated their cover photo.

    2017-06-18T10:00:11+0000
  • Families Need Fathers
    We are glad to note that the plight of so many separated fathers who are denied a relationship with their children for no good reason, is increasingly coming to the public's attention. However another phenomenon is taking place which is very worrying. It is this: Every day we see more support for preventing violence against women and girls, and yet there is virtually no support for violence and abuse against men and boys. Considering government figures which show that domestic abuse against men is more than half the figures of domestic abuse against women (and apparently more under-reported - real men don't cry, we used to be told). And yet something of the order of 100 times as much is spent every year to protect and support women than is spent to protect and support men in this respect. In a country where all are expecting to be treated as equals and to have rights to a decent family life, why is it that the old male/female stereotypes such as men=robust and women=fragile appear to lead to so many claims that only women need protection against violence? Men are being projected as potentially dangerous and increasingly are finding obstacles and discrimination when seeking work in the caring or teaching professions - in an age where the "new man" used to be applauded. And to find a place where men are especially discriminated against in this way, look no further than the family justice system which despite wanting to do better these days, seems instead to grind fathers out of children's lives with relentless aplomb. How does this happen? It happens as a consequence of labelling fathers as somewhere between dangerous and quite unnecessary, after divorce or separation. Allegations by mothers of violence by dads is regularly used to get legal aid and to ostracise dads and to excise them from the lives of children. The loss to children is immense as is the suffering of the dads to whom this feels like a living bereavement is overwhelming. We all feel for a mother whose child is taken away and yet when it happens to a dad, it's almost considered banal. So our Father's Day appeal is for all parents to take a step back and to consider how their behaviour is benefitting their children and to remember that children love and need both their parents and families, and that to work to deprive them of this is pure evil. There is an increasing shortage of dads in the lives of our children - Let's all think about that on Sunday! https://fnf.org.uk/news-events-2/press-releases/150-press-releases-2017-archive

    Are you a separated dad or mum who is having difficulties over contact with your child? We will help. UK's leading shared parenting charity, supporting parents who are denied contact or who are struggling with legal and emotional issues following separation. WE offer some free access to solicitors p...
    fnf.org.ukAre you a separated dad or mum who is having difficulties over contact with your child? We will help. UK's leading shared parenting charity, supporting parents who are denied contact or who are struggling with legal and emotional issues following separation. WE offer some free access to solicitors p...

    2017-06-16T23:31:04+0000
  • Families Need Fathers
    This could turn out to be a ground-breaking development in the fight for dads' rights to caring for young children if they want to. Ultimately, both parents should have the same rights, non-transferable rights, to equal parental leave. This is 2017, after all... http://www.personneltoday.com/hr/shared-parental-pay-father-wins-sex-discrimination-case-telefonica-capita/

    A father whose wife was to return to work has won a sex discrimination after he was told that he would be paid full pay for two weeks' paternity leave only.
    personneltoday.comA father whose wife was to return to work has won a sex discrimination after he was told that he would be paid full pay for two weeks' paternity leave only.

    2017-06-12T08:31:35+0000
  • Families Need Fathers
    See this UNICEF blog https://blogs.unicef.org/blog/men-as-fathers/ from a Swedish Ambassador Families Need Fathers here in the UK could not agree more with the Ambassador. Sadly, whilst we do have the enlightened equalities legislation, our family justice system policies still apply the father=provider, mother = carer model regardless, causing literally millions of children to be deprived of a father in their lives. We have: • No equality of parental leave • No shared child-related benefits • 90% of children of separated parents living with just one parent – in 97% of instances the mother - over 40% with joint 50:50 care in Sweden • Financial incentives for parents to fight over the time spent with the children. • Financial incentives for claims (often unfounded) of domestic violence which is reported in more than half of cases. • A broken adversarial family justice system whereby conflicts are resolved in court unlike in Sweden where just 2% are settled in the courts. Ambassador, please tell our politicians about the benefits of your approach. We still have so much to learn.

    Men need to ne treated as fathers and receive rights as fathers – and of course, behave like fathers. Read more from the Swedish ambassador to Myanmar.
    blogs.unicef.orgMen need to ne treated as fathers and receive rights as fathers – and of course, behave like fathers. Read more from the Swedish ambassador to Myanmar.

    2017-06-08T14:15:24+0000
  • Families Need Fathers
    We received this today. Straight from the heart of a dad who's been blown away from his sons almost as surely as if he'd been the subject of a radicalised hit and run driver. No-one has died, of course, but the pain will last if not a lifetime, a childhood... Two childhoods, to be precise. Last year , myself and wife split she had taken my children without consent , for weeks I tried to gain contact , phone numbers changed emails blocked , etc , I had breakdown due to my separation, all savings were cleared out by former wife ,credit card debts were drawn out by her , I managed to raise the funds to return for Christmas , and took my wife to court to gain access , due to my breakdown my wife said I was mentally insane , even though a doctor sent a letter to the court saying it was my grief for loss of children , caffcass got involved , , etc , and I managed to see my children, until I had to return to [country name removed] in January to repay debts , a phone contact order was put in place , until June for next hearing , but my wife broke the order and again I lost all contact. I returned on the 1st of June and told my wife I would want to see my sons , but she refused , so on landing I went to the school where my sons go and spoke to the headmaster, to ask if I could see my sons due to the fact of my wife not letting me , he explained that he would need proof, of me being allowed to see children, so I went to the court , and got a copy of order, on returning my former wife was there and called the police , saying I'm trying to steal the children, the headmaster explained that I was only there to give in the paperwork , which I did , and left as my wife was abusive to me and my mother, she said to the police that she felt threatened etc and feared for her life, and two days later I end up in court , and have a order imposed on me saying I can't go to the school and I can't go to the house where she lives , the judge in forced the court order for calls only and said there may be a order for supervised visits in June , this is all based on the opinion of former wife , every time I tried to speak the judge would shut me down , I have spoken to caffcass and their side of things is closed as they do not fear for children's safety , but yet [town name removed] courts are imposing only phone contact and probably supervision visits , , how the hell can this happen , and be deemed justice, when I speak to the children, all they want is to see me , yet if I say the wrong thing she uses it against me , I won't see my son on his birthday again , I won't see them on fathers day again , absolute joke of a law system, and as far as I am concerned the [town name removed] courts , do not have any idea of fair hearing, yet I will go back on the 19th June , to get ripped off again , all based on a vindictive mother , absolute bollocks , and I have had enough , you can only take so much , I am a loving father , I love my sons and it breaks my heart , twenty years of marriage, then all of a sudden I'm a monster , she has moved on with her lover , yet I'm the one left with no children, she uses them like weapons of mass destruction, this father has had enough of being sidelined , keep pushing and I will break , total alienation of a father, there is no help when you have no money, yet if your a woman they kiss her ass and bend over backwards, what justice system , full of old men with no empathy just the opinion of a mother. [author's name withheld]

  • Families Need Fathers
    The writing on the wall for shared parenting? We hope so http://www.menandboyscoalition.org.uk/newsevents/fatherhood-charities-launch-new-manifesto-calling-for-family-law-reform/

    Fathers have long complained about their treatment by the Family Courts. Now Women’s Aid tells us that it doesn’t work for women either. The Ministry of Justice isn’t even clear on how much it all costs, but in 2016:
    menandboyscoalition.org.ukFathers have long complained about their treatment by the Family Courts. Now Women’s Aid tells us that it doesn’t work for women either. The Ministry of Justice isn’t even clear on how much it all costs, but in 2016:

    2017-05-26T08:56:05+0000

FNF HSSF Kite Mark Award

Families Need Fathers has been awarded the Help and Support for Separated Families Kite Mark which is a new UK government accreditation scheme for organisations offering help to separated families.

Families Need Fathers work with a range of family law professionals, including Family Law Panel

 

Upcoming Events

26/06/2017 Mon: London Central Meeting
27/06/2017 Tue: Harrow Branch Meetings
28/06/2017 Wed: Cambridge Meeting
29/06/2017 Thu: Exeter Meeting
1/07/2017 Sat: Harrow Branch Meetings
3/07/2017 Mon: London Central Solicitor Clinic
3/07/2017 Mon: Edinburgh Meeting
3/07/2017 Mon: Reading Meeting
4/07/2017 Tue: Newcastle Meeting
4/07/2017 Tue: Leeds Central Meeting
4/07/2017 Tue: Oxford Meeting (check day with branch)
4/07/2017 Tue: Northampton Meeting
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