Torridge and West Devon’s MP, Geoffrey Cox, has called on the Government to do more to ensure that children are able to form relationships with both of their parents, and their extended families. Speaking after a meeting at Westminster with local residents Mike Ellis and Tim Palmer, trustees of Devon based National Society for Children and Family Contact, and Shadow Children’s Minister, Tim Loughton, Mr Cox condemned the Government’s continued neglect to ensure that children benefit, whenever possible, from spending time with their mother and their father, as well as grandparents and aunts and uncles.

He said: “We need to review the working of the family court so that more protection is given to those who suffer abuse. However there is clearly a need to re-examine the manner in which the family justice system treats fathers in the context of family breakdowns. There ought to be a presumption that both parents should be as full involved in a child’s development as possible, unless either parent’s behaviour has obviously disqualified them from further contact. Currently, the family courts are, in many cases, not helping the best interests of the children by delaying or denying access to both their parents, and to their extended family.”

25th July 2006