Free Love

Pick up your copy of Love: Forever Changes at WHSmith today

Navigation - link to other main sections from here

Skip Navigation

From The Times
July 21, 2004

Mothers to pay for denying access

By Alexandra Frean, Social Affairs Correspondent

DIVORCED or estranged mothers may have to pay compensation to fathers if they prevent them from seeing their children, the Government is expected to say today.

A Green Paper published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs and Department for Education will set out ways to encourage “frequent and continuous contact” between children and both their parents. They will be expected to agree to “parenting plans”, and mediation for divorcing or separating couples is likely to be promoted.

The paper is also expected to propose sanctions on parents who breach court orders.

If a father turns up for an agreed visit or holiday with his child, but the mother then withdraws consent, she could be forced to compensate the father for his expenses.

Mothers can at present be fined for flouting court orders, but sanctions are rarely imposed. They are considered to be not in a child’s interests.

Also in UK News

Also in News

Comment    

Anatole Kaletsky

open quote mark The flight of wholesale deposits from Britain’s banking system must be stopped in days or hours, not months or weeks close quote mark

More...
Anatole Kaletsky

Pictures of the Day

The Indian Air Force celebrates its 76th Anniversary on October 8 and an air display by 52 aircraft will form part of the Air Force Day Parade cum investiture ceremony at Air Force Station Hindon

A selection of the best images from around the world

Slide Show

Endangered species

Iberian Lynx

The Red list reveals that a quarter of world's mammals are now at risk of extinction

Slide Show

Comment Central

European Union trade commissioner Peter Mandelson applauds during Britain’s Foreign Sectretary David Miliband’s speech

Why I am sure that the Mandelson story is true

    Sir Ian Blair

    Sir Ian Blair was mired in increasing controversy at the head of the Met Police

    Metropolitan Police Commissioner resigns

    Slide Show

    Money Central

    Piggy bank

    The six safest places to store your savings

      School Gate

      10 year old girls do their homework

      Why too much homework doesn't work

      Most Read

      Skip Most Read

      Today

      MOST COMMENTED

      Skip Editor's Pick

      Today

      MOST CURIOUS

      Skip Most Curious

      Today

      Focus Zone

      Purasia

      Asian Cuisine:

      Explore your passion for food with the delights of Thai, Indian & Chinese cooking

      A life more streamlined

      A Life More Streamlined:

      In our new series, Tony Hawks takes a dry, wry look at modern life - junk mail, interminable meetings and snooty sales assistants

      swimmer

      Triathlon Training:

      Read the training tips and advice that helped our London Triathletes

      Daniel Craig

      James Bond:

      Read our exclusive 100 Years of Fleming and Bond interactive timeline, packed with original Times articles and reviews

      ba business travel clouds

      Business Travel:

      The latest travel news plus the best hotels and gadgets for business travellers

      previous next
      Peter Sands...CEO...Standard Chartered.

      Andrew Davidson meets Peter Sands

      Services

      Croatia

      Croatia 8 days from £659

      Dubrovnik, the Dalmatian Coast and Montenegro

      Credit Crunched?

      Our Credit Clinic has free help and advice

      The Singapore skyline pictured at night

      Business City Guides

      Overseas contacts and local business information

      Popular Searches on Times Online

      best councils | books | chess | credit crunch | currency converter | fantasy football | fashion | football | formula 1 | horoscopes | mortgages | pensions | podcasts | property | recipes | redundancy calculator | sudoku | wall street | wine

      Shortcuts to help you find sections and articles

      Classifieds 

      Cars

      Skip Cars of the Week

      Jaguar S-Type 3.0 SE

      2006
      £14,337

      BMW BMW 4.0 M3

      2008
      £39,937

      Car insurance

      Great car insurance deals online


      Jobs

      Skip Jobs of the Week
      CHIEF EXECUTIVE

      c.£75,000
      GlosFirstmeansbusiness
      Gloucestershire

      Head of Corporate HR Services

      c. £90,000 + PRP
      Essex County Council
      Essex

      CHAIR & VICE-CHAIR

      £ Not Specified
      The Bar Standards Board
      London

      Demand Forecasting Managers

      Competitive Package
      Npower
      West Midlands

      Properties

      Wandsworth Town

      1 & 2 Bed apartments
      From £249,995

      The First Group

      Great Dubai Investment Opportunities
      from £89,950

      One Housing Group

      low-cost ownership homes in London

      Holidays

      Skip Travel of the Week

      Western Wonders USA

      Multi–Centre 9 Nights
      From only £925pp

      Search for your perfect holiday rental

      View thousands of properties online with your Vacation Rental People
      £POA

      Advertise your holiday property online

      List your property with two leading travel websites
      £POA

      Travel insurance

      Great travel insurance deals online


      Place your advert now