FARE Families Apart Require Equality - Auckland
Problems with Child Support?
Contact: Colleen and Stuart Durham
Email: faredurham@xtra.co.nz
PO Box 2057, Auckland.
National Office contact details here
FARE is a national organisation of parents, dedicated to helping children and parents affected by divorce and separation. Our commitment is to truly putting children first, and to fostering equality of rights for both parents. FARE is an association of men and women affected by marriage or relationship breakdowns where children are involved.
FARE is very concerned at facets of the Child Support Act which are ill-considered and are having serious and adverse social consequences. It is especially detrimental to the welfare of children of second-time round families.
The Act has increased the animosity and the trauma of already very emotionally charged situations. The Act has deprived many children of their right to access the non-custodial parent due to the excessively unfair financial burden loaded on to that parent, particularly if the custodial parent moves to another city. The Act is a source of major financial stress on many second-time round families, a recipe for causing more relationship breakdowns, thereby exacerbating the entire problem.
FARE believes the Child Support Act was fiscally motivated to the exclusion of genuine social objectives. Being applied in retrospect, the Act negates agreements and contracts made previously by the courts or between the two parents. FARE considers that if this Act is to be socially fair, some accountability is called for in the use of money going towards those children claimed for. Access costs should also be taken into account.
The Family Court in principle should endeavour to protect the best interests of the children. In fact, because the system is an adversarial one, by its very nature children's rights can be pushed aside. FARE considers that any person committing abuse, be it sexual, emotional or physical, should be dealt with in the proper manner by the law. FARE deplores the practice of bringing bogus and vexatious charges of this nature to prevent proper access, and to sway custody decisions. Children should not be used as weapons.
Many people are affected by the breakdown of a family. For example, grandparents and extended family members are often denied contact with children. FARE has the aim of taking a conciliatory role in adversarial situations.
FARE intends to increase membership of all affected parties and compile information so that informed suggestions can be made to the government and Family Courts. It is our intention to take up issues for and on behalf of children to ensure their rights are considered.
FARE Wellington Branch (and National Office) Information