Fatherhood Institute
1215405
183823492
2008-01-12T11:58:12Z
Djmackenzie
6021451
moved [[Fathers Direct]] to [[Fatherhood Institute]]: On 7 January 2008, the Fatherhood Institute was created as "a successor organisation to Fathers Direct"; therefore the organisation has effectively changed its name.
'''Fathers Direct''' is a UK national information centre on fatherhood. It is a government-sponsored [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2004-10-11.189323.h] charity (reg. no. 1075104) founded in 1999 [http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/ld199899/ldhansrd/vo991102/text/91102-24.htm] by professionals with expertise in social work, family policy, business development and communications.
Fathers Direct aims to create a society that:
* gives all children a strong and positive relationship with their fathers
* supports co-operative parenting
* supports both men and women as both carers and earners
Fathers Direct's core principles are to foster:
* the well-being and protection of children
* gender equality
* support for parents, as specified in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
* support for families most in need
* supportive relationships within families, particularly between mothers and fathers
* support by other family members, whether or not their relationship to the child is biological
* recognition of the wide diversity of families in the United Kingdom and the many different ways in which families organise care of children
* co-operation with organisations advocating for children, for women, for men, for gender equality and for the socially excluded
Fathers Direct works in Scotland in partnership with [[Children in Scotland]] and in Wales in partnership with [[Children in Wales]].
Fathers Direct published the following statistics in 2004 [http://www.fathersdirect.com/news/?page=news&id=691&sub=29]:
*In separated and [[single parent]] households 55% of children see their [[father]]s less than monthly, 33% have no contact at all.
*12.5% never knew their father (Smith M (2004) Relationships of children in stepfamilies with their non-resident fathers, Family Matters Vol 67 pp28-35)
*Seventy-five per cent of non-resident fathers would like to see more contact occurring (Smyth B & Ferro A (2002) 'When the difference is night and day: parent-child contact after separation', Family Matters Vol 63 pp 54-59).
*In one study of cohabiting parents, 47% of the fathers had either been their children's primary carers or had taken substantial responsibility for their care before separation - yet none had been awarded through the Courts, or had felt able to obtain through non-court agreements, primary care of their children after separation. (Lewis C, Papcosta A & Warin J (2002) Cohabitation, separation & fatherhood. York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation)
[[David Bartlett (social worker)|David Bartlett]], a founder of Fathers Direct, also founded the [[Gender and Child Welfare Network]].
==See also==
*[[Fathers' rights movement in the UK]]
*[[Parenting]]
==External links==
*[http://www.fathersdirect.com Official website]
[[Category:Charities based in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Family and parenting issues groups in the United Kingdom]]
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