Family Justice Review: comments from Scotland

Press reports today, such as this story in the Daily Mail, indicate that the Government is leaking the sensitve bits of the Family Justice Review before its publication on Thursday.

It is expected the Family Justice Review will reject both a presumption of shared parenting and a statement in law reinforcing the importance of a child having a relationship with both parents following family breakdown.  

Ken Sanderson, CEO of Families Need Fathers, commented, “If the Family Justice Review Panel has recommended that there should be neither shared parenting legislation nor a statement on the importance of both parents in law, this would represent an abdication of their responsibilities to children and their families."

Ian Maxwell, National Manager of Families Need Fathers Scotland, said, “The Family Justice Review applies only to England and Wales and its reluctance to make an unequivocal statement in favour of 'shared parenting' has deeply disappointed campaigners south of the border.

"In Scotland there are slow but sure signs that the message is getting through to sheriffs and to the professionals involved that children have a right to a good, loving and supportive relationship with both parents after separation. A presumption of shared parenting as the starting point for arrangements after separation will nip many of the expensive and emotionally destructive child contact battles in the bud and be better for the wellbeing of the children involved.”

NOTE: Shared parenting is the term used to cover the desirability of both parents having equal status in the discussion about residence and contact after separation. It does not necessarily mean children literally spend half their time with one parent and half with the other though there are successful examples where that has been the outcome.