To read the article: LINK

The Solicitors Regulation Authority have released a report on the use of artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT in the legal service. For those of us who have English as a second language, dyslexia, or a limited ability to transcribe their thoughts, or indeed just wish to produce wording more quickly, at first glance an app that will do it for you looks like gold dust. There are, as always, caveats.  

The app will use machine learning and huge amounts of data to predict, summarise and generate what you ask for. It does not mind read, it does not select only accurate data, and it provides no guarantees. As the report states, all computers can make mistakes and language models, such as ChatGPT, are more prone to this.

There currently exist apps that limit the data they use to tried and tested sources. This gives a greater likelihood of the outcome being accurate and meaningful. Some of these apps are used by law firms to identify contradictions in evidence or submissions or even identify relevant case references however the software is not foolproof. Whilst AI will clearly increasingly be used in the creation of documents, for now we recommend that you thoroughly check the output of AI generated documents, especially any court statements, for factual accuracy. This applies also to statements from solicitors or from the other parent which may be increasingly AI generated. 

The Family Lawyer summarises the report (LINK), while the Law Gazette provides an interesting overview (LINK). 

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Link to the article can be found here.

Baroness Newlove was recently appointed interim victims’ commissioner at the end of last month (LINK) and we welcome her commitment to stand up for all victims.  We hope we can build some common ground regarding children as victims of separation, with contact denial meeting the tests for child abuse and 'coercive control',  

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Some members find branch meetings online too difficult to attend. It triggers unhappy memories and in some cases flashbacks of abuse and violence; for them, a face-to-face meeting is easier as you are more able to interpret non-verbal cues, build new supporting relationships, engage in purposeful small talk and address sensitive issues without misunderstandings. Others find online, the most convenient format, easier to attend and both direct and informative. The Cambridge branch of FNF provide both options every month. 

East London Branch have run only online meetings since COVID. Despite this they have regular legal advice from solicitors and McKenzies to help with support. Run by Ian Findlay it is also East London that host the regular and popular 8 week course Surviving Separation – Putting the Children First . Ian tells us “Londoners are spoilt for choice for branches to attend both online and face to face. Because we were one of the first to offer online meetings during the lockdown, we now help many members across the country who may not have a local branch.”  

Exeter and Cornwall branch have been online for three years now and regularly get upwards of 15 attendees. 

Please send us your branch news and update. We would love to hear from you.

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Link to article can be found here.

There is a new ‘research’ group called SHERA who undertake research and propagate hostility to ‘parental alienation’ which they see as a form of ‘domestic abuse perpetrator behaviour’.  

They propose new terminology: ‘Child and Mother Sabotage’ (CAMS) as ‘a preferable term for how perpetrator fathers intentionally sabotage the child-mother connection’ and ‘Court and Perpetrator Induced Trauma’ for what mothers suffer in court when there are abuse allegations.   

They say “The system is loaded against abused women. Courts are unsympathetic to them, and the men’s rights group Families Need Fathers was recently attended by the Family Court President and CAFCASS representatives….’  Victimhood in action.

Members can read Karen Woodall’s debunking of this damaging concept. (LINK) 

As our supporters well know, we are very emphatically not a ‘men’s rights group’. Rather we support the clause of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, that: 

‘States parties shall respect the rights of a children who is separated from one or both parents to maintain personal relations and direct contact with both parents on a regular basis, except if it is contrary to the child’s best interests.’  

We contrast the large sample size and more rigorous research methods of, for example, Ben Hine’s research with that of SHERA, which uses very small samples of cases to fit a pre-determined narrative. 

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House of Commons Statement by Lord Farmer LINK

Lord Farmer asks a key question. What are the Government doing about the fact that 70% of young offenders grew up in lone parent families? 

Young Dads Challenge stereotypes LINK

A BBC report explains how young fathers find they have the double stereotype bias against them when they start out their fatherhood journey, your male AND young.  

David Beckham documentary. New on Netflix LINK

Great 4-part series. Shows well, in episode 2, how it was Beckham’s dad who was so influential in his childhood to give him the necessary resilience when receiving death threats after France ‘98. 

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