Surveys for dads and family carers

Two chances to give your views on topics such as shared parenting. 

Father's Network Scotland are collecting experiences of fatherhood for a survey to be published on Father's Day -  fill in their survey by 26th May.

COFACE Families Europe are collecting the views of family carers in association with their disability branch - fill in their survey here.

Families in Europe are greatly affected by current social and demographical changes, such as the growing ageing population, changing family structures, or the situation of intergenerational families. The purpose of this data collection is to explore some of the challenges faced by family carers in accessing adequate resources, services, or time arrangements in different EU Member States. They also hope to find some good examples of national, or local policies that help family carers to balance their work, family and personal life.

Dispatches covers shared parenting

In January 2013 Dispatches will be airing a documentary about shared parenting on Channel 4, presented by Tim Lovejoy.

Ahead of this, they have launched a survey to canvass the opinions of parents and children who have experienced separation on the topic.

The survey can be accessed here. It only takes a minute to complete, so please fill it out if you get a chance, and share it with your friends!

85% support equal rights after divorce

A YouGov poll of 1748 people across the UK conducted just before Father's Day 2012 found strong support for fathers to have equal "custody" rights with mothers after divorce.

Of those surveyed in Scotland, 85% agreed with this statement, and this level of agreement only dipped below 80% in the 18-24 age group UK-wide.

87% of Scots agreed that the role of fathers has changed drastically in the past 50 years, and 97% agreed that both parents should share responsibility for bringing up children. 

92% of Scots agreed that fathers are instrumental in bringing up children, and only 53% agreed that a father's main role should be to provide for the the family by earning and making money.

The soundness of the group of people included in the sample was indicated by their no-nonsense approach to one of the other questions.

86% agreed that Father's Day is just another way for companies to make money on cards and presents, although only 19% admitted to spending nothing on their father for that day.  Scots spent more on their fathers than the UK average, surpassed only by Londoners.