Letter: Some fathers are prevented from being dads

For the last four years I have had responsibility for my two daughters after their mother left to pursue her own life and in that time have not received regular payments from her. Yet I read continually about "errant" fathers and live with the sterotype of the male parent as irresponsible. I have no problem accepting that men in my position are in the minority. However, in an age where one can be censured for referring to a male firefighter as a fireman, surely it is appropriate to reject the assumption that the mother will always be the one to look after the children.

Timothy Brown

Truro, Cornwall