MAGAZINE: One in four dads feel like '˜FaceTime fathers' after divorce

Divorced dads are increasingly turning to technology to stay in touch with their children, as new research shows six in 10 feel shut out of their children's lives.
One in four dads feel like FaceTime fathers after divorceOne in four dads feel like FaceTime fathers after divorce
One in four dads feel like FaceTime fathers after divorce

For fathers who don’t live with their children, communication is now more likely to take place over FaceTime or Skype than with physical contact, leaving many fathers feeling left out of their children’s lives, new research shows.

One in four admit they feel like ‘FaceTime fathers’, by often using the popular online app to stay in contact, while 23 per cent felt the same about their use of Skype, 57 per cent use text/WhatsApp and 23 per cent use social media.

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As a result nearly 70 per cent of divorced dads said they felt ‘distant’ from their children and what they do day to day.

They also felt that their relationship would be better if they spent more time physically with one another rather than relying on technology to communicate.

The research, commissioned by family law experts Slater and Gordon, shows the growing role technology is playing in the lives of children and their fathers after divorce.

Vicki McLynn, family lawyer at Slater and Gordon, explains further.

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