Families Need Fathers' helpline receives record number of calls

The Families Need Fathers evening telephone 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 call data suggests that breakdowns are typically occurring earlier in relationships, often after 2 or 3 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, said: "Our figures also show that we are getting many more calls from Grandparents, second partners and even the resident parent. This is clearly due to the fact that we are becoming better known and more families are becoming aware that Families Need Fathers is the charity to turn to when a relationship breaks down."