To think that, if you, as a man, abandon your child - knowing full well they’re yours - there should be a ‘statute of limitations’ on how long you have to exercise your ‘fathers right’?

Sadly there isn’t a cut off. My ex hasn’t seen our child since 2016 and yet I’ve discovered after much, much research that he could pop up tomorrow and refuse to allow her to attend the high school she’s chosen to apply for, prevent me from getting her a passport (& therefore her leaving the country), could access all her medical records inc. requesting to be informed of everything in future (same for school stuff) and could refuse to allow me to change her name if I was to get married (which I wouldn’t do but still). He could also refuse to allow any future husband of mine to adopt her.

I even contacted a lawyer to ask if I could have his parental rights/parental responsibility removed but the answer was a very firm NO! Absolutely not. Apparently even in child sexual abuse cases, it is excruciatingly rare for a judge to agree to remove Parental Responsibility (PR) and according to her, has only ever been done in cases where the parent has R*ped the child (that was difficult to type 😥) and even then it’s tough to achieve.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news on that one. Solidarity 🤟🏻

100000%! My DD’s Dad abandoned our daughter (& me) when she was 1 (now 11). Job-hopped and succeeded in avoiding child maintenance and tells evvvveryone he knows that I’ve refused to allow him visitation! Just utter nonsense.

Yet he could technically still prevent me from moving her schools, moving abroad and I absolutely could not change her name without his permission or have any new husband adopt her without his agreement. Madness.

Sounds good to me.
I don't agree when 'parents' dip in and out of their child's life. Or return when they see a use for them/they are less work.
A child should always have the right to a relationship with both parents. But if a parent isn't safe then the kid's safety comes first above all else.
I never thought I would say this, but if my ex would walk away abd give up all right I would happily not take a penny ever again. For him it's about power and control and he is damaging the kids in the small amount of time he has them.

I don’t see how you could do this without also absolving them of financial responsibility too.

I think lots of people already think this, my ex hasn’t seen our kids in 3 years, a lot of people I’ve spoken to said he should never be allowed to see them now so it makes me wonder when the “cut off” would be. A year ? 2? 3..

The family court no longer hold this position if it's not in the child's best interests

A child should always have the right to have a relationship with a parent if they want. The other parent should never be able to terminate this.

The child will always have a right to a relationship with their father.

The problem is, that doesn’t centre the child. And would inevitably lead to fathers having no financial responsibility too. Many men would LOVE that deadline coming up