Despite some IT challenges thrown up on the day, I was very pleased with our recent annual conference and AGM in Manchester. One of our speakers, Dr Sue Whitcombe, who had already made the trip to Manchester and was due to speak on the benefits of both parents in a child’s life, unfortunately fell ill the night before and was unable to make it; we send her our best wishes. We were blessed though with our remaining speakers, Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, Sarah Parsons of CAFCASS and Prof Ben Hine of the University of West London. For many the Q+A with Sir Andrew and Ben was the highlight of the day. We expect to make Ben’s and Sarah’s presentations available to members in due course.
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As well as the necessary charity business, the AGM gave me an opportunity to set out the strategic plan for the charity for the next 3 years. Our Goal is to become within 3 years “the go-to shared parenting charity”, whether for separated parents, the judiciary or policymakers. This will require, amongst others, improving the support the national office provides to the huge number of volunteers and branches who help separated parents daily, overhauling our website and IT systems and getting “on the front foot” in our media and lobbying activity. There are of course other organisations operating in the space of family separation, some of which we partner with in our lobbying activity, others which are diametrically opposed to us, particularly in the areas of alienating behaviours. Whilst helping as many parents as our resources allow in the present, FNF is best placed though to influence and advocate for change to make shared parenting the accepted norm, with an approach based on evidence (which is overwhelming) rather than dogma and ideology.
Special thanks go to our headline sponsors Anthony Gold Solicitors, who provided one-on-one consultations at the venue; and to volunteers Brian Maloney, Angus McDonald and Mike Nolan for help both before and on the day.
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