Fathers Condemn 'McDad' Green Paper

Press Release
17th July 2004

'Fathers Condemn 'McDad' Green Paper'

The UK's largest equal parenting group Fathers 4 Justice (F4J) today promised to dramatically escalate its campaign for a legal presumption to contact between children and their parents and 50/50 parenting time in light of the Government leaking proposals from its Green Paper...

The proposals are thought to include a 70/30 split of parenting time but with no legal presumption to contact, only optional mediation and no protection for children from losing contact with a fit interested parent.

F4J says that the Green Paper is a 'McDad's' Charter that confirms the Government's view that fathers are second class parents.

The group has dubbed fathers who are frequently seen meeting their kids at McDonalds fast food outlets as 'McDads'.

Said F4J Founder Matt O'Connor 'A McDad is a father who is stripped of everything except the occasional opportunity of seeing his kids at a McDonalds fast food outlet. This seems to be what the Government expects to be the 'norm'."

The group, who have yet to see any Government response to its Blueprint for Family Law Reform, say that the Green Paper serves up children a junk food diet of McDad's - 'fast food' fathers who want to spend quality time with their kids but are prevented from doing so by the Family Courts."

"This Green Paper is the ultimate in 'unhappy meals' and the worst possible diet for our children's futures."

"No parent should be gullible enough to swallow a Green Paper that has to be washed down with lashings of whitewash. The Government's approach to the crisis in Family Law is to cynically play politics with children's lives. The Children's Minister goes from TV station to TV station telling everyone that there's no problem and then releases a Green Paper just before summer recess to stifle debate."

Fathers 4 Justice will later launch a campaign against Children's Minister Margaret Hodge later this week, that will see her labelled a 'McMenace to Society'.

Other widespread civil disruption and disobedience could be imminent say the group.

Comments

[d davies]

i havent seen my 2 boys 4 nearly a year yet having been seperated from there mum for 3 years preavious 2 that i seen them weekly up to that point i cant afford a solicitor as i earn 19000k and i also have 2 children aged 1 and 2 years who my boys new and loved b4 they were taken away from this area without telling us or there school.although i now no where they are i dont know what i can do.i cant think of anything worse then this and any advice would be welcome.thankyou