F4J Press Release

[FIRM]

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Eric Ericson
USA Coordinator

Press Release
March 31st 2004

'Family Law is no joke for kids say Dads in April Fools Protests'

Dads from across the glove will tomorrow stage their first global protest
for equal parenting rights.

The dads from civil rights group Fathers 4 Justice (F4J) are campaigning for
better access rights for fathers denied access to their children in the
family courts. They say that children growing up without fathers is no joke
for the kids affected.

Nationwide protests across the UK will take place at the offices of CAFCASS,
the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. The organisation
was recently given the responsibility for managing the Family Resolutions
Mediation project by Children's Minister Margaret Hodge - a mover condemned
as a 'sham' by F4J.

The protests which are expected to take the form of 'sit-ins' will be staged
at Cafcass offices in Liverpool, London, Southampton, Portsmouth, Brighton,
Gloucester, Worcester, Manchester, Durham, Cardiff, Swansea and Carmarthen.
In Yorkshire 'speed demo's' will be held throughout the day at every Cafcass
office in the county.

The group say that other 'disruption' may take place.

In Australia where the group are launching tomorrow, demonstrations will
take place outside Family Courts in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. In Canada
demonstrations have been organised in Vancouver and Edmonton. The group say
other events may take place in the US and Holland.

Said F4J Founder Matt O'Connor, 'F4J is marking the third birthday of
Cafcass, the rear end of the mangy, limping ass which is UK family law, with
a nationwide series of protests. After three years, following a highly
critical House of Commons Select Committee inquiry and the recent sacking of
the entire board, CAFCASS remains the weakest link in UK family law and yet
has been given a mediation project to manage.'

'Today is not only our first experiment in global demonstrating but also our
first co-ordinated national day of protest. Previously national demo's have
been focused on one location.'

The group hope to publish their Blueprint for Family Law on Friday but say
that additional last minute information is being added to the document.

ENDS

For further information contact
[email protected]

Or visit //www.fathers-4-justice.org