Sandra Davis' Week: Equal time or quality time?

Equal time or quality time?

Last week Bill Binley the Conservative MP for Northampton South tabled his private member's "Shared Parenting Bill". According to the draft the Bill proposes an amendment of the Children Act 1989 to create a legal presumption that a Shared Parenting Order ("SPO") will enhance the welfare of the child.

SPOs are defined as an order that both parents have a full involvement in the upbringing of a child particularly in respect of major long-term issues and requiring that the child must spend a substantial and significant amount of time with both parents.

Mr Binley's rationale is that "very often Court Orders are made without the knowledge of the importance of a father's involvement and [his] bill will make sure that neither parent is shut out from a child's life when sadly a relationship breaks down."

I'm afraid Mr Binley is wrong on both counts.

Read the full article here.