Letter: In Brief

Sir: Jack O'Sullivan's item "Why fathers should have their day" (6 November) is excellent in its sentiment.

However, Adrienne Burgess's suggestion that men might be "embarrassed to be seen out with their children" is nonsense.

Such views are more normally akin to those held by the male members of the family court judiciary whose own recollection of childhood extends from nanny to public school. Hence they see no real role for post-divorce/separation fathers other than as occasional dispensers of treats.

Often this leads to many fathers not being able to be seen "out with their children".

For the Green Paper to succeed, 1999 will need to be recognised as Father's Year.

JOHN BEALE

London N6