Shared Parenting Information Group (SPIG) UK

- promoting responsible shared parenting after separation and divorce -

Aims and objectives

Children have a right to a loving relationship with both their parents.
Each parent has a unique contribution to make to their child's development.
After separation and divorce, wherever possible children should share their time between both parents equally.
Children need to be protected from the harm of losing contact with one parent, particularly fathers who have in the past tended to be marginalised.
Gender-based discrimination in the family court and welfare systems should be highlighted and challenged, to ensure that both parents are treated equally.
Separating couples with children need special help and support. There should be a properly funded and staffed national family conciliation / mediation service and a national network of family contact centres.

To support children's rights as laid down by the UN Declaration of Children's Rights.
To promote shared parenting
To campaign for a natural presumption of shared residence after separation and divorce.
To campaign for a statutory duty on resident parents to promote contact between children and their non-resident parent.
To increase public awareness of the problems faced by children and parents after family breakdown and separation.
To promote discussion and research into shared parenting and disseminate relevant information.
To encourage public debate on the roles and value of each parent after separation or divorce.
To campaign for presumptive parental responsibility for unmarried fathers.
To promote progressive welfare practice.
To challenge established gender-based inequalities in judicial and welfare practice.
To seek to change and improve the law and policy relating to children of family breakdown.
To campaign for a fair system of child support consistent with the principles of shared parenting.

Arthur Baker and David Cannon

Last updated - 16 August 1999