Weblog archive for January 2004

1st January 2004

Catch 22 in the Family Courts

Until family courts become more open & accountable, they will be subject to suspicion and hostility. And quite right.

All except the first link below demonstrate a Catch 22 faced by many "absent" parents, especially fathers. His attempts to gain more access to the children were treated as a negative sign, causing him to be denied access. What should he have done? Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

• Times, Frances Gibb, "Family courts 'failing children'"
• Telegraph, Joshua Rozenberg, "Judge reveals boy's divorce battle torment"
• Times, Christopher Walker and Andrew Clennell, "Judge tells parents divorce rows can estrange children"
• Independent, Robert Verkaik, "Judge blames frustrated father for ending direct contact with 12-year-old son"
• Guardian, Clare Dyer, "Courts are not failing fathers, says judge"

2nd January 2004

MBE for CSA Higher Executive Officer

This has been awarded to Mrs Enid Spellman, retired Higher Executive Office 30 June, 2005

• Independent, "New Year Honours: Order of the British Empire, Member (MBE)"
• icSouthlondon, "Celeb vicar and charity campaigner head honours list"

14th January 2004

Some sense from a senior Catholic on condoms

A Belgian cardinal, who is among the leading candidates to succeed Pope John Paul, yesterday broke the Roman Catholic church's taboo on the use of condoms, declaring that, in certain circumstances, they should be used to prevent the spread of Aids.... But he added that if someone who was HIV-positive did have sex, failing to use a condom would be sinful - a contravention of the sixth commandment: thou shalt not kill.

• Guardian, John Hooper & Andrew Osborn, "Cardinal backs use of condoms"

16th January 2004

Woman wins right to appeal frozen embryo ban

This is bad news. Natallie Evans has won the right to appeal against the ruling, in a landmark case over rights to use stored embryos.

The law is absolutely clear. The permission of both partners is needed. She shouldn't have a case. But if she succeeds, this could make the ex-partner responsible for child support for up to 18 years! Let's hope her appeal fails.

• Reuters, "Woman wins right to appeal frozen embryo ban"

17th January 2004

Accessibility improvements to the CSA web site

This Blog reported on 15th September 2003 that the "new scheme" section of the child support agency web site had been updated to improve accessibility to people with various disadvantages. Now the "old scheme" section has been upgraded to the same standard.

As well as this upgrade, the links to pages on the "new scheme" web site have changed. This Child Support Analysis web site now uses the new links.

• Accessibility features of the CSA's "old scheme" web site
• Accessibility features of the CSA's "new scheme" web site

31st January 2004

A mixed month

Will they, won't they, strike? We'll have to wait and see if CSA staff strike during February.

How many cases of mis-justice leading to the separation of parents & children will get sorted out? All of the many 100s? Or just a few? We will have to wait and see. From past experience, many of those parents will never see their children again.

Will the CSA get its act together with its computer system? There is no evidence yet that its troubles are behind it.

I intent to post a series of Blogs on the topic of "The junk science that separates families". This isn't just about the recent Meadows cases. It also includes such episodes as unproved cases of child abuse, including satanic abuse, and "false memory syndrome". These all add up to the use of uncritical thinking to separate one or both parents from their children. I hope to do this during February.