News of Father & Child magazine’s free ‘New Babies Edition’ has been picked up by the mainstream media.

Father & Child Trust coordinator Harald Breiding-Buss featured on TVNZ’s Breakfast show: (more…)

A Christchurch dad is wrestling with Child Youth and Family (CYF) to have his six months old daughter placed in his care.
CYF has removed the child from the mother at birth, as all the mother’s other children have ended up in CYF care due to neglect. The father had been standing by to take care of the child, but CYF decided to place the baby with foster parents and order a paternity test first although neither parent had raised any doubt about parentage.
The father has also undergone one-on-one babycare training with Father & Child Trust in preparation for taking care of his daughter.
Although the test proved the father’s paternity, and no concerns had been raised about his ability to care for a baby, CYF wants to leave the baby in foster care saying that she has now bonded with the foster parents and removing her would not be in the child’s best interest. The case highlights what some fathers’ groups claim is a bias by the agency against fathers.
In another Christchurch case, CYF made no attempt to contact the father of a 4 year old girl after the death of her mother. The girl was moved into foster care with a woman, who the father claims has made anti-male comments. The Family Court has since revoked CYF’s custody over the child, opening the way for a greater involvement of the father and possibly day-to-day care.

Dunedin may soon have its own Father & Child branch again, if local dad Graham Dewhirst gets his way.
A separately incorporated Father & Child Trust Otago was first established in 1998 and operated out of premises in Moray Place but became dysfunctional due to political disagreements a few years later.
Graham, who was involved with the old Trust for a short time, wants to set up the new group under the structure of the existing Father & Child Trust, which has branches in Christchurch and Auckland. He has a nine year old daughter Maria and a seven year old son Joseph, and from involvement in their early years he has made good connections with Parents Centre, the Homebirth Association and other groups.
He says the parenting organisations need to work together to do what’s best for the whole family and hopes that Father & Child can do their bit.
Graham separated from his partner five years ago and they now share parenting, with him having contact with their children most days of the week.
He says he would like to establish a group that represents a good mix of
dads with different family backgrounds.
Contact: Graham Dewhirst, dewey@xtra.co.nz, ph 03 476 6463

The various men’s organisations in Christchurch have given birth to a new service called the Canterbury Men’s Centre (CMC). The CMC was originally proposed at the 2005 Men’s Issues Summit and since then the guys involved have been diligently working away at creating it and defining its purpose.
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Waitakere City is holding a ’Focus on Fathering Week’ again, building on last year’s events. This year’s celebration, coordinated by Promoting Great Parenting, Violence Free Waitakere and the Waitakere City Council includes free mall displays, seminars and Health Checks, all ending with the Fathers Day picnic, from 9—2.30 at the Tui Glen Reserve.

The opening dinner, to be hosted by Mayor Bob Harvey, will include  singers, entertainers and guest speakers Pio Terei, Cindy Kiro, and Alfred Ngaro. Telephone 837 4849 for $15.00 tickets, be quick as seats are limited.

An overnight ’Journey To The Falls’ retreat, for fathers with their ‘tramping aged’ sons, sets off at 2pm on Saturday 6th, plus midweek evening forums are planned for Pacific fathers and disabled Dads.

Further Fathering Week fun will include a photographic display in the West City Mall and evening seminars at the Kelston Community Centre on Tuesday 2nd plus, any men can check out a Health Bus in Railside Ave for free tests.

Please note – at the Father’s Day picnic, be prepared to help as this is a combined day with Project Twin Streams.

Further details on www.waitakere.govt.nz – see fathers!