Fathers to be given legal right to see children after family break up

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9656507/Absent-fathers-to-get-legal-right-to-spend-time-with-their-children.html

This came as quite a surprise to me.

"The new legislation states that judges should ensure that fathers are given the legal right to spend time to develop a meaningful relationship with their sons or daughters – providing a child’s wellbeing is not jeopardised by such a relationship."

I never thought England didn't think this until now.  

So for years the government has been saying how awful it is that some fathers never see their children, when the legislation itself has not even allowed fathers the right to see their children! The power so far has been with the mother to allow or not allow the father to see the children. 

The article is also, not deliberately, intimating that fathers can be dangerous for their children.  

Nothing appears to suggest that if the father has a record of abuse, then such access to children may be qualified.  How is a court to determine if the father could harm their children? Will he be allowed to discipline them as many parents do, which will include at times shouting at them?  Will it mean he can not give them pocket money if they misbehave? And who will provide the evidence? 

In a world where morals are more and more determined by breaching the law, unless the father has breached the law, he should have access to the children full stop. 

The act of divorce harms the children, but I don't see the government jumping up and down about how concerned they are about the level of divorce to protect the children from harm. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2228410/Access-law-change-means-children-legal-right-parents-divorce.html