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In a surprise announcement from top Hodge aide,
Althea Efunshile, the DfeS
has rejected the Pilot Project for family court reform while
recommending
new obstacles to divorced parents and children.
Under current laws, parents are often awarded
little (if any) contact with
their children after separation or divorce. Under new guidelines
endorses
by Hodge's select DfeS committee, parents will no longer be
allowed to apply
for increased time with their children - they may only apply
for improved "quality of contact". There remain, of course, no
guidelines on what "quality of contact" means.
In most western countries, reasonable contact
has been long defined as
alternate weekends, half the holidays, and one overnight per
week. In
Britain, where a definition of reasonable contact has never
been written
down, most contact cases drag on for years with no resolution
in sight.
More often than not, the system cuts off one parent (usually
the father)
from all contact with their children.
Irresolvable discussions about what sort of
contact is "quality contact"
will soon generate further misery for Britain's children.
It's not
surprising that such poorly-considered, child-hostile reforms
have been
generated by the offices of Margaret Hodge.
In response to Efunshile's announcement, many
parents groups - such as
Fathers 4 Justice - have vowed to intensify civil disobedience
in coming
days and weeks.
Those responsible for rejecting the widely supported
Pilot Project are:
Brian Kirby (CAFCASS) tel: 020 7210 2265
or Brian.Kirby@CAFCASS.GOV.UK
Althea Efunshile (DfeS) tel: 020 7272 1396 or althea.EFUNSHILE@dfee.gov.uk
Bruce Clark (DfeS) tel: 020 7273 1288 or bruce.CLARK@dfes.gsi.gov.uk
Mavis Maclean (DCA) tel: 020 7210 8873 or mavis.maclean@dca.gsi.gov.uk
Joe Farrell (DfeS) tel: 020 7273 4825 or joe.FARRELL@dfee.gov.uk
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