• Families Need Fathers publishes a Bill on Shared Parenting on 7th April
• The Bill would make it much easier for both parents to stay in a child's life following separation or divorce

The charity Families Need Fathers publishes a Bill on Shared Parenting on 7th April. It would make it much easier for both parents to stay in a child's life following separation or divorce. It would also provide appropriate safeguards in the minority of cases where shared parenting is not the best solution.

There is abundant evidence that a child's chances in life are greatly improved if both parents continue to be involved significantly in their lives following separation or divorce. They stand a better chance of getting educational qualifications, of getting a job and remaining in employment, and of staying out of prison than children who do not have two active parents.

Currently the law too often has a divisive impact on families, treating one parent as the sole carer and the other as the sole financial provider. The reality is very different.  Very often both parents want to play a full role in the child's life, and are well able to do so, but the law prevents this.

Shared parenting legislation is increasingly common elsewhere in the world. Australia, France, Denmark, Belgium and a number of US states are examples. Australia has had such legislation since 2006 and recent research shows the benefits are already starting to emerge.

Jon Davies, chief executive of Families Need Fathers, commented "our Bill takes account of experience elsewhere. In the next Parliament we need shared parenting legislation urgently (and comparable legislation elsewhere in the UK). The UK is falling behind the rest of the world. We need family law fit for the 21st century."

Notes for editors:

The text of the Bill can be found here

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