With this it will be convenient to discuss the following: New clause 8—Presumption in favour of co-parenting—

‘After section 1(1) of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41) insert—

“(1A)In respect of subsection (1)(a) the court shall, unless a contrary reason be shown, act on the presumption that a child’s welfare is best served through residence with his parents and, if his parents are not living together, through residence with one of them and through both of them being as fully and equally involved in his parenting as possible.”’.

New clause 11—Reasonable contact—

‘In section 8(1) of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41), for the definition of “a contact order”, substitute—

““a contact order” means an order requiring the person with whom a child lives, or is to live, to have reasonable contact with the person named in the order in the absence of good reason to the contrary and subject to section 1(1A) of this Act.”’.

New clause 12—Reasonable contact: no order principle—

‘After section 1(5) of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41) insert—

“(6)The “no order” principle in section 1(5) shall be construed subject to section 1(1A) of this Act whereby it shall be presumed that making an order for reasonable contact with the parents is, in the absence of good reason to the contrary, better for the child than making no order at all.”’.

New clause 18—Provision as to family assistance orders—

‘In the circumstances where a family assistance order is made, the officer concerned will proceed on the presumption that the child’s interests are best served through reasonable contact with both his parents unless good reason to the contrary is shown.’.

New clause 19—Presumption of reasonable contact—

‘After section 1(1) of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41) insert—

“(1A)In respect of subsection 1(1) above and subject to the welfare of the child, the court shall act on the presumption that the child’s interest are best served through reasonable contact with both his parents in the absence of good reason to the contrary.”’.

New clause 20—Reasonable contact: welfare checklist—

‘After section 1(3)(g) of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41) insert—

“(h)the desirability of reasonable contact between the child and the non-resident parent in the absence of good reason to the contrary.”’.