SEPARATED parents are putting themselves at risk of further abuse from an ex-partner by being forced to supervise access or "hand over" children for contact with the other parent.
A major report into child access in Ireland found that even in cases where there have been allegations of domestic violence or child abuse, there are no special arrangements made for supervised access.
Often, parents have to rely on family or friends, or risk their own safety, by supervising contact themselves.
In the course of the report, parents highlighted hand-overs as a "flashpoint for conflict" and a thoroughly negative experience for all involved.
With the number of access cases before the courts at an all-time high and family separation more prevalent than ever, the report, launched today by One Family, concludes that current arrangements are unfair and highly inappropriate.
The report, The Need for Child Contact Centres in Ireland, highlights a litany of failures, including the lack of professional services and suitable premises for contact to take place, inconsistencies in how and when access is ordered and a reliance on family members and friends to provide supervision.
Parents interviewed for the report expressed immense frustration with the Irish family court system.
For many, the importance of having a professionally supervised contact service centres on their belief that without it they would not been able to maintain contact with their children.
In particular fathers, both married and unmarried, reported that if a former partner, despite a contact order, refused contact with children, they were not able to enforce their rights.
Fathers also expressed particular frustration with the length of time for court cases to be heard and for psychological reports to be completed. Some fathers relayed how they were denied contact to their children often for months on end while such reports were prepared.
Parents also felt that inadequate attention was paid to the voice of the child on the issue of contact within the court system. One parent said her son was forced to have access with his father for five years even though he "objected violently to contact".
One of the strongest themes to emerge from interviews with parents was the need for counselling for children at the centre of family breakdown.
The report recommends a host of wide-ranging changes including the establishment of supervised contact centres as are available in Britain and across Europe. Greater use of mediation and collaborative law is recommended, as well as earlier and easier access to expert professional advice and greater training for legal professionals.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, April 12, 2010
