While single mothers are receiving ever more backing in their fight for child support payments, single fathers who pay say they are getting a rough deal.

Minister of Health and Social Services the Hon. Quinton Edness recently announced Government is considering a series of tough new measures to force parents who do not have custody of their children, usually fathers, to pay up.

But a number of men are protesting that hefty child support payments are leaving them financially drained.

Others claim the courts do not take into consideration extras, such as shoes, clothing and food that fathers buy for their kids at weekends.

Furthermore, they say, there is no guarantee the money is spent on their children.

One father who wished to remain anonymous, said although his young daughter has been living with him for over a year, he was recently taken to court to pay child support.

"I am paying twice for my daughter,'' he said. "The laws they have are strictly for the mothers. There should be more fathers coming forward.'' Worst of all, his chances of gaining custody of his daughter are virtually nil.

"I'm thinking, what do I do? I do everything for her. It's me that takes her to school and goes to all the meetings. And yet her mother could come and take her away at any time.'' At present the child's mother is taking him to court for over $1,000 in back payments which he claims he has already paid.

"She made me look like I'd never given her a cent. Even the bailiff's attitude was `How could you do it?','' he said.

Single Parents in Action president Mr. George Scott said much of the problem lies in the fact that fathers are forced to pay for their children but are denied custody and their visitation rights restricted.

He added that fathers lose interest when access to their children is limited.

"They wonder why they should pay for something they never see,'' he said.

Double standards in the application of the law further fuel their resentment.

Police respond differently to calls for help from a woman than they do to a man, he claimed. Men are expected the deal with the situation themselves.

Instead, Mr. Scott said, the law should be applied more equally and fairly and in the best interests of the children.

But criminalising a parent was not the answer, he said.

"The courts are making them criminals. The child doesn't want to see either of his parents go to prison.'' A divorced father of three complained he is choked by excessive child support Single fathers get `raw deal' "I am very trapped and very angry,'' said the man who works a seasonal job.

"How can I afford to have my kids for the weekend and pay to take them out and entertain them on top of that? I have just become a financial father.'' The man, who put his wife through college while supporting their children, said he found it particularly irksome to be grouped in the same category as less responsible fathers.

And he claimed the courts are particularly biased against black men. "The tragedy is that people like me who looked after their kids, supported their wives and worked hard throughout the marriage get snubbed by the courts and treated the same as delinquent fathers,'' he said. "I know there are a lot of delinquent fathers out there but why should I be treated like one?'' The man is planning to bring together single fathers in similar predicaments to push for a more balanced application of the law which, he claimed, is heavily weighted towards women.

"There seems to be some idea women are helpless maids when it comes to divorce and children. The judge has to look at the marriage before and after and give both parties a chance to have their say,'' he said.

"Women know the law has a soft place for them, but in the eyes of the law, I am the worst person in the world.'' Additional staff should be taken on to investigate each individual case before the courts make decisions on support payments and visitation rights, he said.

"Cases have to be judged on the merits of a particular situation and not just as a case number. We are talking about lives, children's lives and a marriage where a lot of emotion is involved.''