Updates

To date, since our last meeting at Stormont, we have held a meeting with DHSSPS and Government Officials ref an array of issues ( Minutes below ).

We also have met with PSNI PPU to discuss Court Contact Orders and to have Breaches of these classed as DA, as per definition of "emotional abuse" within Home Office definition of DA. We have another meeting on the 5th October with the most senior officer of PPU, who is the person who deals with policy change.

Alongwith this, we have a meeting on the 8th October with Jeffrey Donaldson of the DUP. He has recently signed the EDM for Child Benefit for two and has offered his assistance to push our campaign forward.

Just yesterday, correspondence began with the remaining political party ( Sinn Fein ) who, to date, had not acknowledged any correspondence. The MLA I am in contact with has asked for more information with a view to pushing things forward. This will give us the support of all the parties in the NI Assembly.

Minutes of meeting with DHSSPS

RECORD OF MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM REAL FATHERS FOR JUSTICE TO DISCUSS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FROM A MALE PERSPECTIVE

FRIDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2010 – 10.30AM MILLENNIUM HOUSE

IN ATTENDANCE:

Government Officials

Marian McIlhone Domestic & Sexual Violence Unit DHSSPS

Julie Houston Domestic & Sexual Violence Unit DHSSPS

Sharon Harley Community Safety Unit DOJ

Paul Lavery Community Safety Unit DOJ

Michael Graham Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE)

Brian O’Kane Supporting People NIHE

Finbar Cummins DSD

Real Fathers for Justice

Peter Morris

Cliffy Owens

Hugh McCloy

Brian Quinn

Apology

Eileen Sung OFMDFM

PURPOSE OF MEETING

Marian McIlhone welcomed everyone and explained that the meeting was convened to discuss a range of issues associated with male victims of domestic violence. She advised Peter Morris and his colleagues that issues raised during the course of the discussion would be fed back to the Regional Strategy Group (RSG). Marian McIlhone also explained that the current DV strategy is to be extended beyond its current planned end date (October 2010) to 2013.

Peter Morris outlined the concerns of the Real Fathers for Justice group including (but not limited to):

· The lack of support services in Northern Ireland for men experiencing domestic violence;

· The criminal justice process for male victims of domestic violence;

· Fathers access to their children in such circumstances;

· Refuge facilities for male victims and

· The role of Mens Advisory Project (MAP) and funding received from DHSSPS.

It was suggested that men are being discriminated against in relation to Section 75. Peter Morris implied that there had been no change in addressing issues for male victims of domestic violence since the DV strategy was launched.

Peter Morris advised government officials that they intend to set up a group ‘Mens Aid NI’ to support male victims of domestic violence in NI to offer a range of services including respite care and will be looking to secure funding for the organisation. He explained that his group had developed a leaflet specifically targeting male victims of domestic violence which had their personal contact numbers on it.

Marian McIlhone explained that in the current economic climate, DHSSPS will not be funding any new organisations. She suggested that a potential way forward may be for organisations to work together collaboratively.

Hugh McCloy sought an assurance that funding issues due to CSR would not impact men further. Marian McIlhone explained that she was unable to give this commitment.

Support Services

Peter Morris and Brian Quinn spoke openly to the group about their personal experiences of domestic violence and the impact this had had on both themselves and their families. Hugh McCloy and Cliffy Owen also spoke about the experiences of male victims they knew of.

Cliffy Owens suggested that there are no support services for young men. He suggested that many men are reluctant to leave a violent situation where children are involved and consequently they ‘put up with it’ until their mental health deteriorates.

Marian McIlhone advised that PSNI statistics highlight that a ¼ of all victims of domestic violence (where gender is known) are male. She explained to the group that the DV strategy is gender neutral, recognising and responding proportionately to the needs of all victims. It was acknowledged that there are a range of issues experienced by men in such situations including sexual health issues, emotional and psychological needs and with many men experiencing suicidal feelings, it is crucial that links are made to all appropriate services.

Marian McIlhone advised the group that Lifeline a crisis response service is available to all people experiencing suicidal tendencies. Peter Morris acknowledged Lifeline but highlighted that there is a need for Lifeline to be clearly advertised in public telephones and also at locations where suicides are known to happen, for example Queens Bridge Belfast. He also suggested

that provision should be made for a lifeline specific phone at such locations.

Criminal Justice Process

Hugh McCloy spoke to the group about his views with regard to the problems with the current family law legislation including issues around contact orders. Cliffy Owen stated that the system is adversarial. Hugh McCloy suggested that the current legislation contravenes human rights and asked about the review of family law which had been promised by DFP but was subsequently withdrawn due to funding issues.

Peter Morris highlighted that procedures relating to Court Orders and Welfare Benefits prohibit men from accessing services and benefits such as housing, income support etc.

DOJ colleagues undertook to ascertain what was happening with regards to the review of family law and issues regarding court orders.

MAP

Peter Morris indicated that he is aware that MAP are represented on RSG. He explained that MAP only offer two main services, anger management programmes and counselling and they do not provide a sufficient service. He questioned how MAP manage their finances and the DHSSPS funding provision given to MAP.

Marian McIlhone explained that MAP have been involved in RSG for a number of years, representing the interests of male victims and contributing to the deliver of the DV strategy. She advised that it was not appropriate in this forum to discuss MAP funding matters which is an issue for the organisation to address itself. Marian McIlhone further explained that MAP had applied to DHSSPS to undertake a specific piece of research on male victims of domestic violence, the findings of which are due to be published on 28 September 2010.

Refuge Facilities

Michael Graham informed the group about NIHE’s responsibility for providing accommodation for all victims of domestic violence. He explained that during 2009, 19500 individuals were homeless and 63 of those were males who alleged domestic violence. There is a range of temporary accommodation facilities available across Northern Ireland including hostels, bed and breakfast and approximately 800 privately rented housing units paid for by NIHE.

Michael Graham clarified that every case is different and that not everyone who presents as homeless requires the same response. However a key principle is to ensure that an individual where possible remains within their current social network. If an individual presents during the daytime, NIHE will carry out an assessment to determine housing needs. In an after hours situation, social services within each of the Health and Social Care Trusts has responsibility for securing appropriate emergency accommodation.

Michael Graham advised that due to a change in attitudes in responding to homelessness, a review is currently underway of the ten Women’s Aid Refuges, as these facilities are beginning to experience under-occupation. He accepted that whilst there is a floating support service available for women, no such provision currently exist for men which needs to be addressed.

ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN FORWARD

During the course of the discussion, the following actions emerged:

	Action	Responsibility	Current Position
1.	Lifeline needs to be properly advertised in public phone kiosks and in locations where it is common for suicides to occur (e.g. Queens Bridge).	Marian McIlhone (DHSSPS)	10/09/10: Matter referred to DHSSPS officials who have responsibility for implementing the Suicide Prevention Strategy.
2.	DOJ to ascertain current status of review of family law legislation.	Sharon Harley (DOJ)
3.	DOJ to examine issues with contact orders.	Sharon Harley (DOJ)
4.	NIHE to look at the need for floating support services for male victims of domestic violence	Michael Graham (NIHE)

Julie Houston

Domestic & Sexual Violence Unit

DHSSPS

10 September 2010

his week members of Rffj Northern Ireland branch attended a reception at Stormont, hosted by the Health Committee.

This was to discuss discrimination and misandrist policies, allocation of government funds to victims of domestic violence, currently less than 15% of funding goes on services to support men, mostly being anger management, males being victims are conveniently ignored in policy, front line services and funding streams.

Rffj Northern Ireland coordinator Peter Morris presented a business plan to open a Mensaid branch in Northern Ireland, also discussed the possibility of a refuge for male victims of domestic abuse.

After protracted discussions and presentations of research and evidence supported by first hand accounts from Rffj and Mensaid delegates, Health committee officials Dr Deeny and Jim Wells agreed that the lack of provision for men was indeed a sexist policy, they would support future funding for projects helping male victims of domestic abuse, further meetings were planned.

Said Rffj coordinator Peter Morris "Fathers are often the last people that would seek help, many refuse to acknowledge they are victims of domestic violence"

"Recently a guy came to me for support, he had his 3 kids all living in his parents spare room while he was sleeping on the floor"


"He had escaped an ex partner who was often violent towards him and the children after drinking, when he approached the council they told him there was no provision and they could not help him, as he was not the name on the child benefit award as far as they were concerned he had no children and was only entitled to apply for one bedroom accommodation"

"He contacted Women's Aid who told him they do not support male victims, he contacted Refuge and they told him they had no places for men"

"Until his ex partner agrees to change the name on the child benefit award he is stuck in limbo, with no state support or an escape route to a temporary shelter"

"The thing is he is lucky, without his parents supporting him he would be trapped in a violent relationship or on the streets"

"Policy makers and funders must address gender specific services that discriminate against fathers"

"There are over 600,000 stay at home fathers in the UK >Source<, and another 238,000 single fathers with residence of their children >Source<, yet the support is all for mothers"

"I hope by raising these issues here at Stormont it will go some way to opening the eyes of the politicians, as fathers our issues have been brushed under the carpet for too long, it's time laws and policies were changed to reflect the changes in society to give parity to both parents"
http://news.realfathersforjustice.org/index.php?itemid=387

Domestic violence

Questions raised in the assembly about male victims of domestic violence.

http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/qanda/2007mandate/writtenqfora/dhssps/dhsspswq3.htm



5. Mr C McDevitt (South Belfast):
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety whether he has any plans to set up a refuge for male victims of domestic abuse, in line with the equality provision set out in Section 75 and given the lack of such services.

(AQW 8229/10)

RFFJ To Address Child Poverty

Public Seminar: Working Together to Reduce Child Poverty (19 May 2010)

9.00 am – 12.30 pm     The Great Hall
The purpose of the seminar is to look at the issue of child poverty from multiple perspectives.  Views from the policy, practice and research communities will be shared in order to establish the most effective ways to begin addressing child poverty and thus improving children’s economic wellbeing, one of the six core outcomes set out in the OFMDFM ’10 year Strategy for Children and Young People in Northern Ireland 2006-2016’.
This is the first of a series of seminars to be held by Improving Children’s Lives, Children in Northern Ireland (CiNI) and the Health and Social Care Board.

http://www.improvingchildrenslives.org/Events/#d.en.189735

Belfast Demo

WELL DONE TO ALL INVOLVED AND THANK YU TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE HUGE SUPPORT WE RECEIVED ON THE DAY

http://whatiscomingup.wordpress.com/

Protest N.Ireland

Use contact details on blog for future demonstrations.


"demonstrate your love for your children, so at least if they cant see you, they can see you love them"

Bob Geldof

Contact Centres Rep Ireland

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2010/0413/1224268217423.html

The dreaded contact centre, where children and fathers are treated as criminals are now to be rolled out across the Republic Of Ireland and are being advertised directly to fathers. These centres in the UK have been forced on innocent children and fathers due to the insecure feelings of mothers where no welfare issues exist.

Careful steps must now be taken by the Irish government to ensure that these centres are used like they were intended, to supervise children and abusive parents and not to punish the innocent.

Children must be allowed to see their parents as equals, and to see their parents treated as equals

Equal Parenting Alliance

Queen University Belfast Students Union

http://qubsu.org/execSection.asp?ID=15

REAL FATHERS FOR JUSTICE

Please find attached some information on the group Real Fathers for Justice. If you would like to get involved or need more information, simply email me at su.vpequality@qub.ac.uk. Paul

The Real Fathers For Justice (RFFJ). Campaigning Direct Action
Parenting Group, raising public awareness and applying pressure for
long overdue changes in UK Family Law. Seeking investment in
supporting families through parental separation and development of
ongoing co-parenting support services

We use high profile stunts to raise public awareness and are commonly
known by Batman at Buckingham Palace.

In N Ireland, we have carried out a few stunts but have focused more
on political routes, meeting at Stormont with Gender Equality Unit and
Parliamentary Groups.

We would welcome any students who have interest in family law,
equality issues, and who would find our research etc useful for their
workings.

We would also welcome new members to join us to ensure our childrens
is not corrupted by the out of date family court systems.

Alongside RFFJ, we are organising Mens Aid in N Ireland. This is in
response to the lack of services for men in emotional and domestic
trauma. Through Mens Aid, we will push for Domestic Violence against
men to be publicised more, and also have systems in place to help
prevent more male suicides.

Again we would welcome anyone who would like to use our research for
their workings, and anyone who would like to assist with both RFFJ and
the setting up of Mens Aid NI.


www.realfathersforjustice.org
www.rffjni.blogspot.com
www.mensaidni.blogspot.com

Flordia Strengthen's shared Parenting

When parents separate or divorce, it is difficult for everyone. Both parents need to know that they will be involved in their children lives. Children need to know that they have two loving parents who still want the best for them. In response to the increasingly common and altogether devastating battle for children and their support, the Florida legislature has shifted the language and focus of child custody and visitation laws toward a shared parenting model.

February 25, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Parenting Plans Allow Shared Responsibilities for Florida Parents

Language Changes to Florida Family Law

In the past, Florida family law statutes referred to issues relating to children as custody, visitation and support. To reinforce a more equal distribution of parental responsibility, the Florida legislature removed terms such as "custodial parent," "non-custodial parent" and "primary residence." The terms "custody" and "visitation" were, respectively, replaced with phrases like "shared parental responsibility" and "time-sharing" to offer a positive spin on concepts that are often intensely negative and somewhat outdated. The term "support" still exists in relation to child support and other financial obligations.

Laws Assume Shared Parenting

The revised statutes assume shared parenting from the beginning of a child placement or support case. This model empowers parents to create comprehensive parenting plans that address child-related issues outside of the courts.

As defined in the Florida family law statutes, "shared parental responsibility" means that both parents discuss and agree on important decisions regarding the child's well-being. Parents may request, and the courts may decide, that the major decisions are divided between the parents, or that one parent should assume ultimate parental responsibility for particular areas of decision-making, such as health and education.

The court may grant sole parental responsibility to a parent if shared parenting would be detrimental to a child, for example, cases involving domestic violence or child abuse. Time-sharing may or may not be granted in this situation, based on what is safe for the child.

Designing a Parenting Plan

It is common for separating or divorcing couples to get caught up in an emotional fight with each other. The new requirement for parents to work together on a parenting plan transfers the focus from breaking down their relationship to building an agreement that defines their parental responsibilities. Parenting plans can be as specific as necessary, but must include agreed-upon details about decision-making authority, time-sharing schedules and support arrangements.

In addition, the updated Florida family law statutes require that parenting plans cover:
-Responsibility for daily care, including care by third parties
-Modes of communication and information sharing
-Education and extra-curricular activities
-Health care costs and emergencies
-Religion
-Other factors that impact physical, social and emotional well-being

Parents may also want to use the parenting plan to address specifics such as coordinating transportation and exchange of the children, planning foreign or domestic travel with the children, and how to resolve parental relocation or other disputes that may arise at a later date.

Court Involvement with Parenting Plans

Courts evaluate all parenting plans before deciding to approve, modify or reject them. If parents cannot develop an acceptable parenting plan, or if issues like domestic violence exist, Florida courts have the authority to establish one for them. In this case, courts do not favor either parent because of gender. Instead, they consider both the best interest of the children and the circumstances surrounding the relationship between the children and both parents.

If family situations change after a court approves a parenting plan, the parents can agree to make updates. If there are disagreements about a parenting plan, in whole or in part, a parent can consider seeking modification of the parenting plan. Potential modification of the parenting plan will depend upon the unique facts and circumstances of each case. It is the ultimate goal of the State and the Courts to ensure "frequent and continuing contact with both parents" through enforcing appropriate parenting plans.

Making the Divided Family Whole

Laws should protect the rights of those in our society who are most vulnerable, especially children. When States, such as Florida, draft family law statutes, they use the generally accepted "best interest of the child" standard. Courts also apply this standard to cases involving parenting and child placement or support matters. However, outside of the legal realm, parents should be the primary decision-makers when it comes to protecting their children's interests. The updated family laws in Florida reaffirm this notion and seek to make the divided family as whole and functional as reasonably possible under the circumstances.

If you have questions about how the Florida family law changes impact your past or future parenting arrangements, or if you wish to create a customized parenting plan, contact an experienced family law attorney near you.

Article provided by TIMOTHY W TERRY

http://communicationhelper.blogspot.com/2010/02/florida-strengthens-shared-parenting.html

Domestic violence | Home Office

Domestic violence

Whether it occurs in public or in private, violence is unacceptable and we are determined to do all we can to prevent it.

What is domestic violence? Domestic violence is any threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between adults who are or have been in a relationship, or between family members. It can affect anybody, regardless of their gender or sexuality.

The violence can be psychological, physical, sexual or emotional. It can include honour based violence, female genital mutilation, and forced marriage.



Domestic violence Home Office

Agony of the frozen-out fathers A new BBC series explores the reasons why fathers lose touch with their children post-separation. Cassandra Jardine investigates.

Watching a preview of next week’s BBC series Who Needs Fathers?, I felt ashamed to be a woman. The men on the programme appeared to be loving, attentive fathers – not extremists in Batman costumes. All they wanted was to play their part in the upbringing of their children. But, at every turn, it seemed, vengeful, short-sighted women were selfishly trying to thwart them.
These mothers cancelled contact arrangements, scuppered telephone calls, made false allegations of abuse, and prevented the men taking their children on holiday. “Honestly, I feel like throwing in the towel,” said one tearful father, who sat in his car outside his ex’s front door, waiting in vain for the children to come out. Only an emergency court order won him the day.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/7528771/Agony-of-the-frozen-out-fathers.html

23 March 2010: Rffj Belfast meeting - 2pm Sunday 28/3/10

The Belfast Branch of RFFJ are holding a meeting on Sunday 28th March, in the first floor lounge of the Europa Hotel, Great Victoria Street, Belfast at 2pm.

Link to map >Click Here<

The agenda for this meeting is to discuss our way ahead, future protests, our achievements to date, political responses etc.

Current members and new supporters from N. Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are welcome.

Further details email peter@realfathersforjustice.org

 http://www.realfathersforjustice.org/news/index.php?itemid=342

Where are our Rights??

A guy has 4 kids, plus one who he has brought up for 10 years. The mother has a history of drug and alcohol abuse, and also of going out for days and not coming home.

This has happened again, but only this time, the mothers sister has the kids and the father can do nothing about, as the mother was so sneaky as to not put his name on birth certificates.

Now where is the fairness in this??

Real fathers for justice Press Release 19/03/10

Real fathers for justice Press Release 19/03/10

Staff ‘denied access’ to family court

This morning at around 5am a lone activist barricaded the entrance to Darlington county court with a motorcycle chain.

The action was to highlight an injustice meted out in the family courts to a serviceman who had recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Real fathers for justice can confirm we were approached for assistance prior to this stunt by a serving soldier, he wishes to deny staff access to the building the way they have assisted his estranged wife to deny him access to his home and children.

An Rffj spokesman said:

“Although we were not directly involved in this stunt we have sympathy with this father and fully understand why he chose to break the law”

“We suggested if he was determined to protest that as today was St. Joseph’s day, the patron Saint of fathers, it would be an appropriate day to take peaceful direct action”

“The father in question is a serving soldier so cannot be identified, we will call him Clive”

Clive asked us to prepare the following statement as to the reasons he took the action this morning.

“I am a decorated soldier and have recently completed a 6 month tour of duty in Afghanistan; I also served in the conflict in Iraq.”

“I recently returned from duty fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan to find that judges at Darlington county court had granted my wife a non-molestation and an occupation order of the marital home, this was all done ex parte in my absence whilst serving Queen and country overseas”

“My wife has since moved her new lover in and has been denying contact to our 2 young children”

“If this is how the courts treat a serving soldier based on a false allegation, imagine how they could treat you”

“All my wife needed was to say there was a ‘perceived fear’ of what I may do when I found out about her affair, the judge said because I was a soldier I was ’obviously violent’ he then granted her an occupation order and has denied me going within a mile of our home”

“I’d prefer to be fighting the Taliban than fighting the legal system, they operate in secret behind closed doors and the judges remain unaccountable for their actions”

“I’ve already seen a Cafcass officer who has told me I’m looking at an occasional hour with my kids in a supervised contact centre, probably for at least the next 6 months”

“Due to the sheer frustration and the delays in dealing with my case, I feel I have no other option but to protest in this way, so I decided to give the Judges a taste of their own medicine and ‘deny access’ to their court”

“Perhaps while they are waiting for the chains to be cut, they might reflect on the damage they have done to my children in denying them contact with their father”

“We spend billions of pounds fighting the Taliban; they have killed hundreds of my colleagues”

“The family courts are responsible for at least as many deaths through fathers deprived of hope, taking their own lives, yet we actually support them through our taxes”

He was quite upset, but went on to say;

“The Taliban sneak about and plant I.E.D's  (improvised explosive devices)  in the cover of darkness. These bombs not only kill soldiers but maim and kill children. I would say that family courts are just like the Taliban.”

“I left my family to serve my country, and to help other families live a life of freedom in Afghanistan.”

“My children have been maimed for life, just for like those children in Afghanistan that are caught in I.E.D explosions. They may not have lost limbs or have scars, but they have lost a father who loves them “
 

Notes to Editor

Real father for justice (Rffj) is a breakaway group from Fathers 4 justice and was formed in June 2005.

Rffj last hit the North East headlines on father’s day 2008, when Simon Anderton spent 3 days protesting on the Tyne Bridge Newcastle, after spending 4 days incarcerated for the peaceful protest he was later cleared of any wrong doing by a jury in Newcastle crown court.

Rffj campaign for accountability and transparency in family law, for the rights of a child to have a loving and meaningful relationship with both parents post divorce or separation.

Contact Mike Kelly on 07782 440072 or email info@realfathersforjustice.org

UK - What have human rights done for family justice?

http://www.resolution.org.uk/news-list.asp?page_id=228&page=1&n_id=114

For immediate release: Saturday 13^th March 2010
Speaking at the Resolution annual conference Mr Justice Andrew Moylan reviewed 10 years of the Human Rights Act and its implications for the operation of family law.
Noting that the powers of the family court are amongst the most drastic of any court, as ultimately it has the power to remove a child from their parents, Mr Justice Moylan questioned whether the European Convention and Human Rights Act deserve the criticism they sometimes receive.
In his speech, Mr Justice Moylan argued that the rights to privacy, fair trial and freedom of expression have permeated many aspects of family law and become common features in family proceedings over the last ten years:
“There has been a review of many aspects of the family legal system, consequent on the effective incorporation into our domestic system of the substantive and procedural rights guaranteed by the European Convention. In addition, and importantly, the procedural safeguards implicit in Article 8 (right to a private and a family life) extend to decisions made outside the legal system. In the family arena, the reach of the Convention is broad.”
Mr Justice Moylan concluded that:
“The balancing framework provided by the (Human Rights) Act enhances the administration of justice, both substantively and procedurally.”
A full copy of Mr Justice Moylan’s speech is available here.
Notes to editors
1.Mr Justice Moylan was addressing the Resolution National Conference, which takes place from 12-14 March 2010 at the Midland Hotel in Manchester.
2. Resolution is a group of over 5500 family lawyers in England and Wales. Established 25 years ago, it promotes a non-confrontational, constructive approach to resolving family disputes. To find out more, visit http://www.resolution.org.uk/

Social Workers Want Power To See Children In Private

http://fifesocialservices.com/2010/03/14/social-workers-want-powers-to-see-your-kids-in-private/
With the amount of child abusers and paedophiles within the Social Services and Child Protective Services profession (see Hollie Greig case the girl with Downs Syndrome who was abused by Social Workers, Policemen and a Sheriff), this new law that could be passed in the UK is quite scary indeed.

The UK could be set to pass a law which would allow Social Workers to come into your house and take your child away for as long as they like, without question, without an order (source BBC.)  Of course if a child was in imminent danger, the Social Services should apply for a court order to remove them, but now it seems they want to be able to take your child for an hour or two and then return them to you.  This opens up a whole load of possibilities for corrupted Social Workers and so called “child protectors.”

http://fifesocialservices.com/2010/03/14/social-workers-want-powers-to-see-your-kids-in-private/

Rffj to appear on BBC this Sunday

http://news.realfathersforjustice.org/index.php?itemid=333

Real fathers for justice spokesman Ray Barry is to appear on Nicky Campbell's topical debate show BBC The Big Questions 10am Sunday 14/3/10

The show will be available to watch online >Click here<

Big Questions message board >Click here<

This weeks questions include,

Do children need fathers?

Child benefits for separated parents

The benefits entitlement of parents who share childcare after they split up is examined by Gary Vaux who looks at official guidance and a legal ruling

A common problem that social workers face when working with parents who have separated concerns who receives which benefit. The benefit system, with its "winner takes all" ethos, creates situations which do not reflect the reality of shared childcare.

 

Child benefits for separated parents

Victoria Climbié ten years on: Interview with Lord Laming

http://www.familylaw.co.uk/searchDetail.aspx?subjID=1&artl_id=3090#artl_3090

THURS 11/03/2010 - Last month marked ten years since Victoria Adjo Climbié, a little eight-year-old girl born near Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, died in London following months of horrific cruelty, torture and neglect.

Her murder at the hands of her great-aunt Marie-Therese Kouao and Kouao's boyfriend, Carl Manning, prompted the largest ever review of child protection arrangements in the UK which was headed by Lord Laming. Although most of his 108 recommendations became law in the 2004 Children Act, a new report by Lord Laming following the death of baby Peter Connelly, who died in August 2007 in similar circumstances to Victoria, concluded his reforms were not widely implemented.

Top family law post vacant after challenge to government critic

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article7048954.ece

• One senior judge said: “It is an appalling state of affairs, not to know who is taking over.” Another said: “An appointment like this is usually announced several months ahead. There is no explanation as to what is going on.” 
•  Sir Nicholas, whose expertise is in children’s cases, warned that without proper funding, the family justice system “would implode and it is the children who will suffer most”.

Junior's "Say goodbye" debut single in Aid of Baby Peter Tirbute Fund, NSPCC & RFFJustice

YouTube single preview >Here<

Profits donated to children's charities selected by the artist, which include RFFJ.

Available to download on iTunes and on sale on Juniors website from April 6th

Note: RFFJ have no association with other charities or good causes selected by the performing artist. Our logo alongside these groups is not an endorsement of their policies by RFFJ

International Meeting on Family Law

http://spitalas.blogspot.com/2010/02/blog-post.html

17 - 18 APRIL 2010 AT DRAMA (GREECE NORD)
Building: Departement of University Institut of Landscape Architecture
(corner of streets: 1 July-Chrissovergi-Kassandrou)
Contact: ++2521032235 / ++6942989785
International meeting for human rights of divorced people and children.
After the international declaration of LANGEAC in 1999 (participations of France, Espagne, Irlande, Deutschland, Holland, England, Chile), we make the declaration and creation of political 'plateforme' in the same spirit and this of 'European social movement-coustodia compartida'.
All the associations and institutions are invited of the world.
Remember: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PARENTAL ALIENATION 25 APRIL
Last year (january 2009), presents: From New Zenland: Peter Zohrab, from UK: Robert Whiston, from Holland: Peter Tromp.
Contact:
Dr Nicolas Spitalas: ++2521032235 / ++2310524285 / ++6942989785
SYGAPA association:
Fraggon 19, Thessaloniki-Greece, fax:++2310524319

Further media access to family courts will be scrapped by Tories

THURS 25/02/2010 - The Government has been forced to make concessions to its plans to further expand media access in the family courts. In the House of Commons on Tuesday night, Justice Minister Bridget Prentice accepted a new clause to the Children, Schools and Families Bill that requires a full independent review to media access in the family courts. As a result of the accepted amendments, before Schedule 2 of the Children, Schools and Families Bill may be brought into effect, there now must be a full independent review and evaluation of the operation of the provisions and the impact of the media being granted access to family courts for the first time in April. The conclusions of the independent review must then be set out in a report laid before Parliament. The independent review cannot commence before a full review has been completed of the findings from the pilot allowing for the publication of anonymised judgments. However, speaking to Newswatch today the Shadow Justice Minister Henry Bellingham said that "although [the Government] have accepted our new clause 2, and although they have come up with some amendments, we are keen to scrap it and start again". The Government had wanted to expand the April reforms to allow journalists a right to view documents filed in the proceedings. However the House of Commons Joint Committee on Human Rights Committee's report on the Bill questioned whether the measures conflict with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). In addition to UNCRC issues, the reforms were also strongly opposed by family lawyers over concerns about the diminished protection provided to the welfare and privacy of the child, the undermining of key ethical principles underscoring the work of professionals such as doctors and social workers, and the delay and cost which the system would have to bear. Mr Bellingham said it would have been far better to include the provisions by means of a separate family proceedings Bill, especially given that the Government have already announced that they are going to carry out a major review of the family justice system. Speaking at the debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday night, Mr Bellingham said: "We always assumed that the Government would allow the new arrangements to settle in before moving on to the next stage, which would be to amend the primary legislation on reporting restrictions and look into media attendance at placement and adoption proceedings. "We never dreamt that the Ministry of Justice would amend primary legislation by tacking on various clauses to another Bill, right at the fag-end of this Parliament, when the Government knew that there would be no time to debate these important proposals properly," Mr Bellingham added. The Bill has now gone to the House of Lords.

Canadian Fathers For Justice, protest at Olympics

http://parentalalienationcanada.blogspot.com/2010/02/report-on-fathers-4-justice-bc-members.html

Video of arrest

Greetings liberators from a very tired Batman.

This morning at 5:00 am the Burnaby Batman and Robin QC scaled the Lions Gate Bridge (Olympic Route) in West Vancouver BC in support of not only the cause we hold dear but in support of our Olympic athletes as well. 

The BC Hulk also was on scene and chained himself to the bridge deck while our superheroes placed their banner and Canadian flags high upon the structure. Within minutes of our superheroes being aloft the authorities converged upon the bridge in great numbers.

The challenges facing The Northern Ireland Assembly in meeting its target of ending child poverty.

LINK
"A recent report for OFMDFM (2008) highlighted the levels of fuel poverty faced by lone
parents, revealing that lone parents on average spent 56 per cent of their income on fuel compared with 26 per cent in Britain (Hillyard and Patsios, 2009)."

Fragmented and separated families is leading to wide spread child poverty in N.Ireland, the removal of good loving fathers through Secret Family Dip Loc Courts is attributing to child poverty. The lack of childcare is highlighted in this report and one remedy is to stop socially excluding fathers and the child's extended family from the child. When a father is removed from a child's life, then to is half of that's child's family who could aid and support in childcare.

Social engineering since the implementation of the Children's Order 1995 has created and attributed to child poverty in N.Ireland and must be reversed by allowing children the right to enjoy the freedom and liberty of residence with both its parents.

Alarm over Cafcass's 'child court crisis'

http://news.realfathersforjustice.org/index.php?itemid=327

A senior family judge has warned of an "alarming deterioration" in the protection of vulnerable children in care proceedings.

Cafcass insiders claim its official caseload figures mask the true picture

Judge Graham Cliffe, who is based in York, told BBC File on 4 that support for children from Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory Service) was at a crisis level in his region of North Yorkshire.

Child Support Agency Slammed

 In a series of newspapers reports, the Child Support Agency has been slammed for not working anywhere near as it should be. 

Close to £100 million of public money has been driven into this agency in the past five years in England & Wales - Public Finance

BBC -Child maintenance IT system flawed

Financial Times - Child support office suffers from IT woes

Public Service - CSA's IT still a cause for concern

DHSSPS, Do Not Hold Records of Child Abuse in N.Ireland

When asked to produce the figures of child abuse in N.Ireland, the DHSSPS have responded that they do not hold said information.

The question and response can be viewed here - link

The Department has three main business responsibilities:

1. Health and Social Care (HSC), which includes policy and legislation for hospitals, family practitioner services and community health and personal social services;
2. Public Health, which covers policy, legislation and administrative action to promote and protect the health and well-being of the population; and
3. Public Safety, which covers policy and legislation for fire and rescue services.

Family court reforms face opposition from judges and childrens’ groups

Reforms to open up the family courts to the media are at risk of being scuppered by mounting opposition from senior judges, lawyers, children’s groups and MPs, The Times has learnt.

Human Rights Commission rejects Bill Of Rights consultation

NIHRC response

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has today (17 February 2010) published its response to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) consultation paper on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland.

 

NIHRC Chief Commissioner Professor Monica McWilliams stated:

 

“Legislation of such importance is deserving of greater consideration and analysis than appears to have been invested in the NIO consultation paper on a Bill of Rights.  As a national human rights institution, the Commission does not accept this as a genuine effort to increase human rights protections in Northern Ireland.”

RFFJ, informational release. N.Ireland

The first release from RFFJ in 2010 can be viewed, link.

Already 2010 has seen a marked interest from the public and continued efforts to build on this support will be built upon during the course of the year.

Domestic Violence-Time For a Change Professor Don Dutton

http://parentalalienationcanada.blogspot.com/2010/02/domestic-violence-time-for-change.html

Dr. Dutton is one of Canada's leading researchers into IPV and one of the few in North America who have not been made into eunuchs by the feminist hives in Academia and elsewhere who believe only men are abusers and all women victims of the patriarchy.MJM

Dr Robert Kenedy , to meet in Belfast

I am completing research and writing a book about the Fathers' Rights/Parenting Movement in Canada and the UK and would like to do focus groups and individual interviews with activists and others. I will be making my final trip to Belfast from Feb 15-17th 2010

If you are interested in being part of the book and sharing your views on the Family Law system, the Fathers’ Rights/Parenting Movement, and related issue, that would be very helpful. I am interested in interviewing fathers, mothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, and others who have been impacted by the Family Law System. All interviews will be confidential and those being interviewed will remain anonymous in any written material.

Dr. Robert A. Kenedy
Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology
Faculty of Arts
Academic Advisor
219 Founders College
York University
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
CANADA

E-mail rkenedy@yorku.ca or contact info@realfathersforjustice.org

or use contact details provided on the blog

Is Parental Alienation a Form of Trauma?

If you have gone through any type of trauma in your life you know it can leave you bewildered for an extended amount of time. The effect trauma has on an individual varies but most often the traumatic ramification will be apparent in everyday activities and relationships. International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies states "The impact of trauma has an effect on relationships and often the trauma extends past the individual and interferes with their important family, friends, or work relationships." Many individuals are still trapped within the trauma and it hinders their ability to live a healthy life. The question we ask here is Parental Alienation a form of trauma? What is "Parental Alienation" and what is "trauma"?

Parental Alienation- Is when a child expresses an intense unwarranted anger and hatred for one of their parents. Generally this happens as a result of a divorce or separation in which one parent influences a child with negative comments about the other parent, such as lack of warmth and love. The parent will have the child align with their emotion and anger towards the rejected parent. There are two fundamental structures describing alienating behaviors, direct and indirect. Direct alienating behaviors occur when one parent actively undermines the other parent, such as making derogatory remarks about the other parent or telling the child that the other parent is responsible for the separation or the cause of financial difficulties. Indirect alienation behaviors occur when one parent fails to support access or contact with the other parent, or tacitly accepts the child's negative behavior and comments towards the other parent.

Trauma- Is the Greek word for "wound" (and for "damage or defeat") Trauma has a definition for both a medical and psychiatric occurrences. Medically, the definition refers to any serious bodily injury or shock. In a psychiatric setting the definition has an alternative meaning. "Trauma" in this regard is an experience that is emotionally painful, distressful, or shocking and which may result in lasting mental and physical effects.

Psychiatric Trauma is a natural response to an agonizing event. It entails the creation of emotional memories about the extreme event that are stored in structures deep within the brain. In general, it is believed that the more direct the exposure to the traumatic event, the higher the risk for emotional harm.

Parental alienation has effects on both the children and rejected parents. As parental alienation progresses the bond becomes severed and the child becomes overburdened with negative emotions. The parent becomes traumatized by the actions of the child and the other parent. Some of the emotions are loss, grief, anger, guilt, rage, regret, confusion, fearfulness, shame and hopelessness just to name a few. Children are likely to feel these same emotions with an increased amount of confusion. A number of these children will lose their ability to form independent thinking skills. Frequently the rejected parent is in a state of shock because of the once warm bond they had with the children becomes shattered. The breakdown of compassionate communication turns into the child parroting words of hatred. The child's new extreme actions of rage make the wounds deep and painful.

Children that are conditioned to hate their other parent are more likely to have long lasting effects of emotional damage. With the belief that the more exposure to the traumatic events or lies the greater the risk for emotional harm. It is painful for a child's memory process to be robbed of the love of the other parent. Sometimes years go by before there is a correlation between the truth and the destructive fantasy realm that they were lead to believe. In cases where the child becomes aware of the truth and remembers the real memories they begin to live a new traumatic event. They now have to deal with what they have done and why this took place in their life. The new emotion of betrayal becomes apparent in their life and the focus on what has been done to them plays a vital role of who they have become.

The trauma that occurs in children may be suppressed because of their own behaviors or avoid the rejected parent altogether. Traumatized children often relive the painful emotions repeatedly in their lifetime when the trauma has occurred from a parent or caregiver. Furthermore this theory goes into further details about the parenting style they have learned from their dysfunctional parent. Children who later on become parents that have had trouble relationships or attachment issues with their own parents will be vulnerable to having complications raising their own children. Parents that have lived through the trauma of Parental Alienation as a child will avoid actuality of their own emotions which may become troublesome in acknowledging their own child's emotional state.

A website named Helpguide.org included in the effects that individuals experience when dealing with traumatic events in their life. .

Symptoms of Emotional Trauma

Physical Eating disturbances (more or less than usual)
Sleep disturbances (more or less than usual)
Sexual dysfunction
Low energy
Chronic, unexplained pain

Emotional Depression, spontaneous crying, despair and hopelessness
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Fearfulness
Compulsive and obsessive behaviors
Feeling out of control
Irritability, angry and resentment
Emotional numbness
Withdrawal from normal routine and relationships

Cognitive Memory lapses, especially about the trauma
Difficulty making decisions
Decreased ability to concentrate
Feeling distracted
ADHD symptoms

Possible Effects of Trauma.

Common personal and behavioral effects of emotional trauma:
substance abuse
compulsive behavior patterns
self-destructive and impulsive behavior
uncontrollable reactive thoughts
inability to make healthy professional or lifestyle choices
dissociative symptoms ("splitting off" parts of the self)
feelings of ineffectiveness, shame, despair, hopelessness
feeling permanently damaged
a loss of previously sustained beliefs

Common effects of emotional trauma on interpersonal relationships: inability to maintain close relationships or choose appropriate friends and mates
sexual problems
hostility
arguments with family members, employers or co-workers
social withdrawal
feeling constantly threatened

In conclusion looking at the connections between the two terms and the emotional effects that occur in parental alienation there is a parallelism and should be studied further. There is enough evidence and similarities to justify the statement that parental alienation is a form of psychological trauma for the child. The definitions of trauma and parental alienation as well as their long-term effects, left untreated, can lead to other medical and physical apparitions in the course of the affected person's lifetime. While looking at the complex components of Parental Alienation, the concept of trauma should be introduced as an important element in similar treatment for health and recovery.

Sources

1. Complex Trauma in Children and Adolescents

Alexandra Cook, Joseph Spinazzola, Julian Ford, Cheryl Lanktree, et al. Psychiatric Annals. Thorofare: May 2005. Vol.35, Iss. 5; pg. 390

2. The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies http://www.istss.org

3. Help guide.org Healing Emotional and Psychological Trauma

Sex offender's site used by Northern Ireland teachers

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8504424.stm

The Department of Education is to hold an investigation into why a website owned by a convicted sex offender was made available to teachers in NI.
The Sparklebox website, which is used to support primary school teachers, was blocked by a number of English regional authorities. It was made available in NI through a government website called C2K, on behalf of the five education boards.

The Real Fathers For Justice N.Ireland: ASACC of Catalonia

The Real Fathers For Justice N.Ireland: ASACC of Catalonia

ASACC of Catalonia

ASACC (Granny @ s Association for joint custody) of Catalonia, we issue the following information:
- On 25th January 2010, members of the association, accompanied by the Legal Counsel of the same, Advocate and Mediator Mr. José Luís Sariego family, were interviewed at the headquarters of the Directorate General for Civil Justice, Freedom and Security European Commission, rue Luxembourg 46, with the Administrator Mr. Markus Zalewski, and the Expert Advisory Civil Justice and the Directorate-General, Mr. Thomas, to inform them of the following facts:
1 .- That in the Spanish State are persistently violating the inalienable rights of thousands of children, rights under the Spanish Constitution, inspired by the UDHR and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, taking as the sole cause that the parents are separated and / or divorce.
2 .- As a consequence of these divorces, whose cases are unrelated, both our granddaughters and grandsons like us, we can not permit or consent, that the separation of our daughters and sons, affecting the normal and necessary relation to our granddaughters and grandchildren have to have with us and the rest of the extended family, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends and even children, which are so important in all aspects of their development, particularly in the affective and emotional .
It is a great hypocrisy to be always talking about protecting children, "children are the future", and then, in practice, are unknown or violate their rights. The same goes for us, "our elders" as the official name, recognizing, verbally, then fundamental rights are being denied by a flawed and nineteenth-century legal practice. We want our grandchildren can interact with us and we with them, as they did before the separation of their parents. PARENTS WHO ARE NOT break up and the grandchildren of their grandparents or vice versa.
3 .- That since the entry into force of Law No. 1 / 2004 of 28 December, Integral Protection Measures against Gender Violence, that is, in just over 5 years, as appears from the Memoirs of CGPJ have been accused of abuse of women, approximately 500,000 men, and intra Spanish citizens, some of our children among them, of whom some 450,000 were acquitted or their cases closed, indicating that misuse is being done this Act is due to the perverse nature of this law, since the beginning of the explanatory memorandum, the Act makes protection of women and at the same time makes all men, for the sole reason of their sex, abusive de facto universal: every man for being a man is a potential abuser. This, without taking into account the non-discrimination on grounds of sex (Art. 14 of the EC. And Article 7 of the UDHR), or the presumption of innocence (Art. 11 of the UDHR) when a complaint of ill treatment, true or false, of a woman to a man.
4 .- ASACC complaint with the Justice Commission in the past five years, there are an estimated 800 to 900 thousand children who have suffered the loss of contact not only with their parents are with their grandmothers and paternal grandparents as well as extended family by the father and vice versa.
5 .- ASACC complaint that the Spanish State is denying the possibility of joint custody of children after divorce or separation, the vague, evil legal regulation has been largely completed, and requests the DG to be Spanish urge the State to make an explicit provision for joint or shared custody as a preferable model like other EU member states.
6 .- ASACC finally complained to the Commission of Justice, which the Spanish State is receiving through the Equality Commission EU European funds apparently are being used indirectly to finance the Spanish political parties, through Equality plans and combat violence against women. So ASACC asked the Justice Commission of the EU that it is investigated, if it is conducting a misuse of European funds by the Spanish Government.
Throughout the meeting, Mr. Zalewski and Thomas meet ASACC that:
1 º .- surprise show by data and events throughout the meeting have been provided to them, saying it is the first time they have knowledge that something is happening in Spain similar to what is denouncing ASACC.
2 .- That the Justice Committee has no power to force any country of the EU to change its laws or ask for explanations of the laws that they pass their parliaments.
3 .- They explain that the best way for the EU to know what's really happening is that ASACC through judicial proceedings or individuals affected by the facts that are reported at this meeting, come to the ECHR in Strasbourg.
4 .- As for the illegal financing of European funds, are demanding more information in writing and shall be sent to the commission for such reports and information in case there is need to open an investigation into it.
5 .- Finally ASACC are informed that the EU is planning a program of coordination of the divorce laws of all European countries, and it would be interesting to extend these proposals to the Commission of the communities affected.
Finally, ASACC would like to thank the Delegation to the EU of the Generalitat de Catalunya in Brussels, its unqualified support and help to make this meeting possible.
Barcelona, January 28, 2010