If you are a parent that requires support resolving child arrangements and/or financial matters, you can speak free of charge to a family lawyer belonging to the LawyerSupportedMediation.com professional network.

LawyerSupportedMediation.com is a new service that prioritises effective communication between co-parents at a time when children need it most.

Devised by social enterprise Advantage Resolution Ltd, LawyerSupportedMediation.com (LSM) is currently available across the South East, North West and North East. It’s an end-to-end service that combines fixed fee legal advice with family mediation.

Lawyers and mediators working in tandem not only reduce the cost of resolving disagreement but give you – and your separating/former partner – more price certainty than lawyer-led alternatives.

Above all, family mediation is extremely successful once underway. In 2013/14, almost eight out of 10 people who began family mediation went on to reach agreement.*

LSM also specialises in engaging your separating/former partner about the service. This is done free of charge on behalf of any parent willing to consider the approach.

To set up a free consultation with a participating lawyer, request a free call back from LaywerSupportedMediation.com by clicking here.

*Source: Ministry of Justice

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Below are some ways to raise funds for FNF. We appreciate any help you can give us and are very grateful for all money raised!

Create a Facebook Fundraiser

You can use Facebook to support FNF by creating a fundraiser that people can donate to. You can make a Facebook Fundraiser here.

Collect Cash Donations

Depending on the occasion or nature of the event, some people might find it easier to just donate cash to you. If that’s the case, please download our Sponsorship Form to keep a track of donations and to enable us to claim Gift Aid on cash donations. By ticking the Gift Aid box when making a donation, the donor can give extra money at no additional cost.

Please keep it in mind that Gift Aid can only be claimed on charitable donations from taxpayers, but not when the money is given in exchange for goods.

Fundraising Events

There are countless events you can participate in to help raise money for FNF.

Whether your local fun run, a 10km race, a half marathon or even the full 26.2 miler – you can raise money to create a better future for families. Or why not swim, take part in the UK National Air Guitar Championships, or hold a themed event?

If you have purchased a place in any running event we’d love it if you used this place to run for FNF. Please contact admin@fnf.org.uk and we will support you with your fundraising efforts, and provide you with a T-shirt and publicity material where appropriate.

Once you’ve decided on your event we recommend that you set up a Just Giving fundraising internet page. It takes less than a minute before you are able to email all your friends and family with a link to the page, and all the administration (including collecting Gift Aid) is taken care of for both you and FNF.

If you’re a fan of Facebook and Twitter you can also use these to increase your support. Find out more here.

Or if you like, you can download a good old fashioned sponsorship form here:

Whatever you decide to do – stay safe, and have fun! Oh! It is very important to read the Fundraising Rules and Regulations first.

More ways to raise funds for FNF:

There are a number of ways you can make money for FNF whilst you use the internet - at no cost to you.

• The first is by using Everyclick, a search engine which donates half its revenue to charity.

• Every time you use www.everyclick.com/familiesneedfathers to do your online searching, FNF gets some cash.

• Add it to your Favourites and set it as your Homepage and Searchbar with the tools in the top right hand corner. If every member takes part, then FNF will reap some serious rewards.

The second is as part of the Amazon Smile program. If you are using Amazon for purchases, please use their "Smile" programme and select us as the charity they will donate to.

• It's a really simple way to support FNF, so please make sure you use the below link when buying books, CDs, DVDs, birthday presents and so on... Please ask your family, friends and colleagues to do the same.

Promotional materials

If you would like any materials to support a fundraising event, the following are available from the office:

• Posters
• Tri-fold general enquiries leaflets
• Membership enquiry booklets
• Roll-up banners

For further information on any of these fundraising initiatives, please contact the office on 0300 0300 110 or email admin@fnf.org.uk

Don't forget to share your fundraising page anywhere you can to get the word out!

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If you would like to be kept informed of our most recent work and developments in family law, simply sign up for a free FNF registration. Once you have registered, you can select to receive our newsletters from the 'My Profile' section. Of course we would be grateful if you would like to join FNF rather than just register.

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE to JANUARY 2015

 Note: if you are looking for the recent Newsletters please choose Newsletters from the Menu rather than Newsletters Archive.

1. Updated McKenzie Friend Guidance
2. Should fathers be present at birth?
3.Parental alienation in the news
4. Facebook and Twitter

1. UPDATED MCKENZIE FRIEND GUIDANCE

This month, we have updated the best practice guidance for McKenzie Friends (lay legal advisers) who wish to advertise their services via our website. 

The updated document (available here) follow updates to the court's own guidance, changes to legislation and the loss of legal aid for many entering the family court. It is more comprehensive than previous editions, to reflect the growing importance and use of McKenzie Friends within the family justice system. 

Families Need Fathers does not provide or oversee McKenzie Friends, and this guidance is intended as 'best practice' rather than a set of standards that can be enforced. As well as outlining to McKenzie Friends the standards and knowledge we would expect of those working with our members and other parents within the family justice system, we hope this document can assist litigants in deciding whether an individual has the necessary skills and experience to assist in their cases. You should be wary of involving anyone closely in your case that is not familiar with the practice and procedures outlined in this document.

New applicants wishing to advertise via the FNF website will be asked to follow this updated guidance, and it will be forwarded those McKenzie Friends currently advertise with us.

2. SHOULD FATHERS BE PRESENT AT BIRTH?

This month saw a lot of coverage about a study which had found that fathers should stay away from the birth of their children, as their presence can make the experience of childbirth more painful for their partner... Or did it?

The study, carried out by researchers at University College London, asked 39 heterosexual couples questions to measure their emotional intimacy and closeness. The female partner was then given a series of painful laser pulses, with her partner inside and outside the room. They found that those with lower levels of emotional intimacy, or those who prefer to avoid closeness, reported higher levels of pain when their partner was present than when they were not.

The finding that those with difficulties in their relationship find painful situations more distressing with that person present is perhaps not all that surprising. However, the manner in which this study was reported, suggesting that fathers should avoid being present at their children's birth (the Times headline read "Its official: men shouldn't be at the birth"!), was drastically wide of the mark. There are many good reasons why both parents should be present at birth that benefit both parents, and the majority of parents want to experience the birth of their child together.

A great blog post from the Fatherhood Institute looks at the study and the issues surrounding it in more detail. 

3. PARENTAL ALIENATION IN THE NEWS

On 20th January, the Telegraph published an article looking at the experiences and effects of parental alienation, or 'implacable hostility'. 

It is rare to see the issue of parental alienation covered in the media, and the article provided an interesting look into the effects this can have on parents and children. You can read it here.

4. FACEBOOK AND TWITTER

Want to keep up to date with Families Need Fathers, and developments in family law? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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FNF Volunteers are central to the way FNF operates. The effort and influence of our Volunteers is highly valued within the structure of the organisation and in addition to this, the external systems and services that benefit from their experience and input.

It is likely that you received help from a volunteer when you first approached FNF, and may feel that you can now offer something in return. No one else can offer the same level of support and information that our members can - because our volunteers know the difficulties relating to parental separation and often have experienced them themselves. Even if you don't feel you know all the 'ins' and 'outs', a sympathetic ear may be exactly what someone in trouble needs.

FNF offer full induction training and opportunities to develop your skills through our ongoing training modules. You’ll meet lots of people who share common values, and support the charity to continue to deliver our unique services across the U.K.

Our National Office is in London.

Our teams are located regionally across the U.K.

200+ Volunteers & Donors support the charity each year!

To make an enquiry about volunteering get in touch with us at: volunteering@fnf.org.uk

Current Volunteering Opportunities:

If you wish to apply for one of these roles please fill in this form.

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By becoming a member you will be giving your support to the campaigning work of Families Need Fathers which strives to ensure that the voice of separated parents and their children is heard at all levels. By becoming a member you will be adding your weight to an increasingly powerful sector of society united in demanding and achieving real change.

Members receive the following:

• Access to the members’ area of the FNF website
    o Download all our Factsheets for free
    o Download court forms and read instructions on how to fill them in and make an application to court
    o Download parenting plans
    o Access to workshop videos and much more!

• List of local telephone contacts and referral to panel of members with in-depth knowledge on matters ranging from child maintenance to CAFCASS
• Discounts on publications and books
• Access to our on-line Forum
    o Receive support and advice from other members
    o Share your story and hear from others in similar situations

Not yet a member?

Here are the pricing details for joining:

Annual Membership costs £39 for the first year and then £35 a year thereafter.

Monthly Membership costs £5 for the first month and £4 a month thereafter.

£39 less than 10-15 minutes of a typical solicitor's hourly rate. So sign up and join now.

If you would prefer to simply make a donation to help support the operation of FNF please use the button below.

In any event, please register.  This will enable you to select Newsletters you wish to receive and will also give you access to more of our website.  To register please use the join button but select Free Registration. Registration lasts two years - so we'll remind you before expiry to make sure your profile details are up to date.

When you register or become a member, we'll ask you to provide some basic details which will make up your private profile.  These include your name, email address, Username, and other details.  You can edit your profile at any time in the future to ensure your details are up to date.

Please if you are a UK taxpayer  consider opting for Gift-Aid

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