A profile of applicants and respondents in contact cases in Essex

By Liz Trinder, Jo Connolly, Joanna Kellet and Caitlin Notley

The number of parents who make contact applications has risen considerably in the past decade. This report examines the characteristics of these parents and explores the circumstances and problems they faced which led to their application. Forty-five mothers and 43 fathers were given structured interviews about their experience.  

Although both resident and non-resident parents were equally concerned about contact issues, there were significant differences between the types of problems they were experiencing. For example, non-resident parents were more likely than resident parents to complain that their ex-partner was too controlling and would try to disrupt or prevent contact with their child. Resident parents more frequently expressed concerns about the welfare of their child during contact; for instance they worried that their child became distressed or were scared that their partner would be violent.    

Violence was a major concern for many of the mothers (who were the vast majority of resident parents) More than half of the mothers (53%) stated that either physical and/or emotional abuse was the main reason for their separation and 25% had injunctions against their ex-partner. At the time of the application 64% of women and 23% of men stated that a ‘fear of violence’ made it more difficult to resolve problems related to contact with their ex-partner.

This report compares the differences between the parents that seek contact orders after their separation with parents who make arrangements with their ex-partners independently. Possible interventions and solutions to these parents’ difficulties are suggested by the authors in light of their findings.    

Read the full study: http://www.dca.gov.uk/research/2005/1_2005.pdf