A national parenting charity has reported a high number of calls to its evening telephone helpline. Families Need Fathers is a shared parenting charity, which helps parents whose relationship with their children is at risk following divorce or separation.

 

The helpline answered 4,125 calls in the year from June 2010 to May 2011. The May total was the highest ever, with 627 calls being logged.

 

Analysis of the calls received by the helpline suggests that breakdowns are typically occurring earlier in relationships, often after two or three years. The children involved are therefore typically much younger, sometimes only months or a year or two old.

 

FNF’s Helpline Co-ordinator, Anthony Esler, added:

 

“Our figures also show that we are getting many more calls from Grandparents, second partners and even the resident parent.”