The South Australian Branch of The Lone Fathers
Association was established during 1998 and early 1999 in order to meet an ever
increasing need in the community for support for men, women and children during
and subsequent to the time of marriage breakdown, divorce, child access, child
support and other family law problems.
This branch is now receiving
an average of twenty phone calls daily (7,200 annually) from men and women who
are suffering hardship due to some aspect of the family law system. We are
able to help the majority of people in this situation but do refer on to other
agencies a small number who fall outside our area of expertise
The Association is funded by members entirely.
The South Australian Government does not make funding available to men's groups
even though federal funding is provided to the state for distribution to such
non profit community groups.
The Lone Fathers Association is an educational and
welfare organisation devoted to the interests of lone fathers and their
children.
It is non sexist, non sectarian, non profit.
It provides: special guest speaker meetings, regular newsletters, information on
the legal process, crisis assistance referral.
The Lone Fathers Association of Australia Inc:
Liaises with organisations such as the Institute of Family Studies, Human Rights
Commission, Family Law Council Attorney Generals Department, Dept. of Social
Security, local government and welfare agencies.
makes submissions to government inquiries, eg Law reform Commission's on Matrimonial
Property, contempt, access inquiries and Child Support Scheme's consultation and
evaluation processes
publicises issues affecting Lone Fathers through national media, radio, television and
press.
Based on LFA estimations from membership surveys:
70 per cent of fathers are not granted custody after contested legal proceedings
costing thousands of dollars
80 per cent of fathers are advised not to proceed with custody
applications
75 per cent of fathers lose in court over access, maintenance and
property cases
The Lone Fathers Association aims:
to represent to the community ,government and other agencies, the special needs of
lone fathers as a significant group in the population
to promote and assist the development of a better understanding and equity in the
Family courts on custody, access and property settlements
to aid, assist and encourage lone fathers to support and sustain their children and
do their utmost to prevent the institutonalisation of the children of lone
fathers;
to promote an explicit code of conduct and behavior for lone fathers with special
emphasis on welfare of their children, and to develop acceptable methods by
which lone fathers can handle problems affecting their children
to promote and encourage the best possible practice on access and custody matters,
always with the happiness and emotional well being of the child as the primary
consideration accepting that each child needs the love and guidance of both
father and mother;
to encourage lone fathers not to degrade their former partner in any way to young
children, as this affects children in many ways.
Send mail to: treasurer@lonefathers.org.au
with questions or comments about this web site.
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Last modified: November 20, 2001
