Shared Parenting

The four Green Party Candidates for Luton and Bedfordshire are launching their policy on Shared Parenting.

Family breakdown has reached epidemic proportions in the UK with 4m children now not living with both parents. We wish to end the adversarial system currently prevailing which encourages a 'Win/Lose' culture in deciding which parent children live with, where lies and alienation are common.

Our policy is to ensure that a child's right to a loving and caring relationship with both parents is maintained, whenever safe. Sometimes this needs legal enforcement. Fair is worth fighting for in all matters, including when children are denied a loving relationship with half of their family.

The Policies to introduce Shared Parenting

• Legal Presumption of Reasonable Parenting Time
  There should be a legal presumption of reasonable parenting time for children and both parents, in the event of parental separation.
• Shared Residence should be ‘Normal’
  A Shared Residence arrangement should be the normal arrangement when there are two fit, capable parents; not the rare exception it is now.
• Good Reason Principle
  All contact and parenting time arrangements will be governed by the Good Reason Principle: they will apply in ALL cases where there is no good reason to do otherwise.
• Introduction of Early Interventions Pilot Project
  We call for the immediate introduction of the Early Interventions Pilot Project, to replace the failed and discredited Family Resolutions Project.
• Compulsory Mediation
  Mediation to be compulsory for both parents after separation and before entering into the court system. Any parent refusing to attend may be so ordered by the court and on subsequent refusal will be charged with contempt of court.
• Open Family Courts
  All Family Court cases involving children to be transparent, open and accountable, and all reporting to be anonymised to protect children from publicity.
• Enforcement of Court Orders
  Court orders for contact, parenting time and shared or joint residence, must be enforced by the courts unless there is good reason to do otherwise.
• Allegations in Family Courts Made Under Oath
  All allegations of domestic violence or child abuse made by one party against the other during a child contact case, should be made under oath, and dealt with quickly by a criminal court capable of delivering a clear verdict. This is in order to prevent such allegations being made maliciously; and to ensure the safety of the alleged victim and any other children the alleged perpetrator is in contact with.
• Recognition of Parental Alienation
  Any parent who deliberately harms a child’s relationship with either parent, without good reason, should be treated as being guilty of emotional and psychological abuse of the child. Furthermore, we call on the government and the authorities to recognise Parental Alienation as emotional abuse of the child.
• Automatic Parental Responsibility for Both Parents
  All fathers, regardless of marital status, or whether they are named on the birth certificate of their natural child, to be given parental responsibility. Where paternity is in doubt, a DNA test must be used to decide the issue.
• Grandparents given Improved Rights
  Grandparents should have a legal right to apply for contact with their grand-children.