There is no evidence that family courts are discriminating against fathers because of gender bias, a new study by the University of Warwick and funded by the Nuffield Foundation has found. Dr Maebh Harding, from the School of Law, reviewed almost 200 case files from 2011 and concluded that contact applications by fathers were in fact “overwhelmingly successful”. However, the report does raise some concerns that equal or near equal care is being used as a way to ensure adult fairness, rather than achieving the best arrangement for the children.