A New Minister For Children (of Separated Parents)

We welcome Janet Daby MP as the new Minister for Children and Families in the Department of Education.

As we do Baroness Sherlock OBE, as minister in the Department Work and Pensions responsible for child maintenance, and Lord Ponsonby, as minister in the Ministry of Justice responsible for family justice and marriage and divorce.

We look forward to working with them and other new ministers covering these and other such areas as reducing parental conflict, family hubs, international parental abduction, and early years, childcare and mental health support following family separation.

We count six different ministers across four different departments dealing with matters of direct relevance to this charity (and there are more dealing with wider issues of family breakdown).

The reality is that responsibility for aspects of family separation is split between several ministries, with some children’s needs then overlooked. It also leads to a misallocation of resources and poor outcomes for children and society.

It is time for one office and minister, working cross-departmentally as needed, to be responsible for the welfare of children and indeed their parents following separation. This would allow more funds to be allocated to early resolution, making greater savings in the long-run by keeping families out of the costly, prolonged, adversarial and often devastating court process.

To this end and others, we also look forward to continuing work with a re-established All Party Parliamentary Group on Family Separation, whose excellent report “Better outcomes for the children of separating parents” this article owes much to! https://fcrc.uk/inquiry-better-outcomes-for-separating-families/.

A New Minister For Children (of Separated Parents)

More Campaigns

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When Safeguarding Fails, Not the Law: Why the Presumption Still Matters

School Co-Parenting Policy

A New Minister for Children (of Separated Parents)

Keep the Presumption of Parental Involvement

Denying Contact Unjustifiably Is Domestic Abuse

What Our Service Users Say

” What an amazing organisation, offering help, support and advice. A really informative and pioneering charity. Thank you! ”

DadNovember 2023

“ Excellent charity, and volunteers that gives hope and support with practical information, not only to fathers but grandparents / extended family too. A lifeline in devastating situations where ultimately the children are the focus. If contact with your child or grandchild is broken, this is the organization for all relevant information, support and understanding. ”

DadOctober 2023

” I don’t know how I would have coped without the Shared Parenting knowledge and empowerment from the peer support of Both Parents Matter.”

MumAugust 2023

” Both Parents Matter taught me about the realities of the UK Family Court system at a time when I was very vulnerable and in need of guidance. Their ‘Surviving Separation’ course is excellent. ”

DadSeptember 2023

” The only charity to support any parent or grandparent to regain contact with their child or children, I regularly attend the Manchester group once a month to provide support. ”

Dad September 2023

” Without this group I would have been lost. I am the grandmother of a son who had his children taken away by the mother and false allegations submitted to ensure no contact. It has been heart breaking but reading the stories, being part of a community and having access to meetings gives information, advice and the hope and knowledge that it can change. I will keep supporting my son and grandchildren so they are together in the future. ”

GrandmotherAugust 2023

” An inclusive organisation that supports mothers, fathers, and ultimately children. I have personally found their support to be invaluable and truly believe it has saved my life and helped me become a stronger, resilient, and positive human being, father, and husband. They have educated and coached with my own personal development, positive co-parenting, positive parenting, and Family Court and the legal/court process. In that order. The peer-to-peer support is unmatched…I’ve never experienced a more active and supportive group of individuals brought together by a single goal – Happy Families! ”