As a concerned female citizen, I am deeply troubled by the current state of child maintenance calculations and the limited rights fathers have to see their children. This petition aims to bring attention to these issues and advocate for a fairer system that prioritizes the well-being of children while ensuring equal parental rights.

Personal Story:
I created this petition because I have personally witnessed the struggles my partner, brother and other fathers face in trying to maintain a meaningful relationship with their children while also struggling financially and mentally. The current child maintenance system often fails to consider individual circumstances, resulting in unfair financial burdens on non-residential parents, predominantly fathers. This not only hampers their ability to provide for themselves but also affects their emotional well-being and mental health. I am also aware many parents can not afford to apply to court for visitation rights due to the high court costs and lawyers fees. Therefore, some fathers are unable to even see their children because of these costs. Why should any, one parent have the right to choose if the other parent can see their child? This should be equal rights and not have fathers be forced to spend thousands on court fees just to be in their children's lives!

Child Maintenance Facts:
1. According to research conducted by Gingerbread (a UK charity supporting single parents), only 4 out of 10 single parents receive full child maintenance payments.
2. The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) uses a formula based on income percentages that can be inflexible and fail to account for various factors such as shared care arrangements or additional costs incurred by non-residential parents.
3. Many non-residential parents struggle financially due to high child maintenance payments, leading them into poverty or debt.

Fathers' Rights Statistics:
1. Research from Families Need Fathers (FNF) highlights that approximately one million children in the UK grow up without meaningful contact with their fathers.
2. A study published in The Journal of Divorce & Remarriage found that when fathers are actively involved in their children's lives, it positively impacts academic achievement, mental health, and overall well-being.
3. In some cases, access arrangements are hindered due to outdated stereotypes surrounding gender roles within parenting.

Proposed Changes:
1. Reforming the child maintenance calculation process by considering individual circumstances such as shared care arrangements and additional costs incurred by non-residential parents.

2. Ensuring that child maintenance payments are fair and reasonable, taking into account the financial capabilities of both parents.

3. Promoting mediation and co-parenting programs to encourage cooperative parenting arrangements that prioritize the best interests of the child.

4. Raising awareness about the importance of fathers' involvement in their children's lives and challenging societal stereotypes surrounding gender roles within parenting.

5. I also propose that court costs and lawyers fees to be significantly lowered in order for parents to apply for visitation rights with their children.

By signing this petition, you are supporting a call for change to create a fairer child maintenance system that considers individual circumstances while promoting equal parental rights for fathers. Let us work together to ensure that children have meaningful relationships with both parents and that non-residential parents can afford to live without undue financial burden.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of countless families who deserve a more equitable system. Sign now and help us bring about positive change!