Closed petition Give both parents equal rights and responsibilities towards their children.

Closed on 4 November 2011

Shared parenting needs to be the default position for separated parents. One parent should not be able to act on their own to determine a child’s future. Both parents should work together unless one is unfit to do so. Good parents should not be denied access to their children and should be helped by mediation to work together to ensure the best interests of their children are met.
Children ought to have one home with both parents, but where that can’t happen there should be two loving homes for them unless one parent is unfit to provide that home.
This should be the default position; it would be fair for children, would be fair for mothers and would be fair for fathers.
The arrangements for children should be put in place as quickly as possible.
This should be the default position for open family courts. The system should accept that fathers and mothers can both love and provide for their children.