New research has revealed the welcome news that 87% of fathers who don’t live with their children continue to have regular contact with them.

However the report, by NatCen Social Research, Thomas Coram Research Unit and the University of East Anglia, also found that the economic circumstances of a father are a significant factor in whether he stays in contact with his non-resident children. 

Fathers who are not in contact are more likely to be unemployed, are less likely to own their own home and have fewer bedrooms in their property than fathers who maintain contact. For example, 42% of fathers who have little or no contact with their children are either unemployed or economically inactive, compared with 26% of fathers who report higher levels of contact.

Moreover, those fathers who have contact with their children are far more likely to contribute financially than those who don’t;  83% of fathers who see their children several times a week report that they send or give money for child support compared with 29% of fathers who do not see their non-resident children.

Overall around a third (32%), amounting to well over 300,000 UK non-resident fathers, say that they do not, or are not able to, pay child support for the children who don’t live with them.

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