Founding meeting of the independent confederation
Platform for European Fathers (PEF)
European Parliament / Altiero Spinelli building
Room: A7F387
Brussels, June 27th 2011 – 16:00- 19:00 hours
List of founding members /participants
| Name | Organisation | Function | Country | |
| 1. | Peter Tromp | Vader Kennis Centrum (VKC) – Father Knowledge Centre | Chair | Netherlands |
| 2. | Rob Williams | Fatherhood Institute | Chief executive | UK |
| 3. | Robert Whiston | Men’s Aid | Chair | UK |
| 4. | Klaus Gerosa | Váteraufbruch fur Kinder (VAfK) | Boardmember | Germany |
| 5. | Rüdiger Meyer-Spelbrink | Váteraufbruch fur Kinder (VAfK) | BGS – Chief executive | Germany |
| 6. | Oliver Peter Hofmann | Maennerpartei | Chair | Austria |
| 7. | Eleftherios Ayfantis | Sygapa, Father’s and Men’s Dignity | Boardmandated representative | Greece |
| 8. | Heimir Hilmarsson | Association of equal parenting | Chair | Iceland |
| 9. | Jan van Baelen | Vaderkenniscentrum Vlaanderen | Chair | Belgium |
| 10. | Vincenzo Semeraro | SOS Papa Belgique | Boardmember | Belgium |
| 11. | Attila Vida | Elvált Apák Érdekvédelmi Egyesülete (EAÉE) – Association of Divorced Fathers Hungary (ADF) | Boardmandated representative | Hungary |
| 12. | Pedro Duffill Hobbs | Federation UEFACC – Union Estatal de Federaciones Y Asociaciones por la Custodia Compartida | Boardmandated representative | Spain |
| 13. | Luis de Sousa | Igualdade Parental | Chair | Portugal |
| 14. | Paulo Vieira | Lisbon Report / Denuncia de Lisboa | Chair | Portugal |
| 15. | Alan Beirne | Parental Equality Ireland (Men’s Support Groups of Ireland) | Boardmember | Ireland |
| 16. | Joseph Egan | Parental Equality Ireland | Chair | Ireland |
| 17. | André Müller | Verantwortungsvoll Erziehende Väter und Mutter (VeV) | Vice-president | Switzerland |
Initiated and organised by the Dutch Father Knowledge Centre
Made possible by
Platform for European Fathers (PEF) 
Congratulations from Australia and we wish this new organisation much success. Could we please impose on the member organisations if at all possible, to provide the same relevant information from their country, as it applies in Australia ( see below) in regards to the parenting time outcomes for children following the separation of their parents? The information could be emailed to dotafeedback@gmail.com ( In English please)
ABS Family Characteristics 2009-10, compared to 2006-07 (Australia)
Summary of Findings
There were a total 5.0 million children in Australia in 2009-10.
(4.8 million in 2006-07)
1. NUMBER OF CHILDREN AGED 0 TO 17, WITH PARENTS LIVING ELSEWHERE.
Just over 1 million or 21% = 1,050 000 in (2009-10)
(Just over 1 million or 22% = 1,056 000 in 2006-07)
2. NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO SPENT HALF OR MORE NIGHTS WITH THEIR NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT = only 3%. (4% in 2006-07)
3. There were 441,000 non-custodial parents, the vast majority 81% were Fathers.
(82% in 2006-07)
Using the benchmark definition of “meaningful” contact to represent a child spending 20% or more nights per year with their non-custodial parent, it reveals the following disturbing result:
Of the children who had little or no “meaningful” contact, with their non-custodial parent.
* 45% of children never stayed overnight with their non-custodial parent.
(47% in 2006-07). This includes 24% who rarely or never saw that parent.= 472.500
* 19% of children spent less than 10% of nights with that parent.
(19% in 2006-07).= 199.500
* 15% of children spent more than 10% but less than 20% with that parent.
(14% in 2006-07).
= 157.500
* Total number of children who had little or no meaningful contact with
their biological non-custodial parent. (844.800 in 2006-07).= 829.500
This is a slight variation of less than 1.5% over the previous period (2006-07), calling into serious question the effectiveness of Australia’s 36 year old Family Laws and demonstrates the failure of our Family Courts to protect the rights and safety of the nation’s children, and now accumulating into affecting almost 24% of all Australians.
It indicates just 2 out of 10, or 20% of children from separated parents, continue to enjoy ongoing meaningful contact with their non-custodial parent, as per above definition of “meaningful.”
It also means 8 out of 10, or 80% of Australian children from separated parents, are being denied meaningful ongoing contact with their biological non-custodial parent.
As a consequence, there were 352,000 non custodial parents, who had little or no meaningful contact with their biological children living elsewhere. This in turn caused an estimated 1.5 million extended family members to also be denied meaningful contact with their biological families.
All of the above results reveal a crippling, social fallout, from deep-rooted Family Law policy failure, which raises some serious questions. If we consider the above outcome as actually being in ‘The Best Interest of Children’, then perhaps we need to urgently take a very close look at that definition.
Media contact: Peter van de Voorde – Dads on the Air, Australia – June 27, 2011 ©
http://www.dadsontheair.net – 04-28648691 – dotafeedback@gmail.com