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The U.K. has started a new project to help men with the responsibilities of fatherhood. Fathers can attend workshops and take lessons on how to be a better parent. The scheme is to slow down the rate of family breakdown. Over a million British children have no father at home. A 16-year-old in Britain is more likely to own a smartphone than have a father. One of the project's leaders told a British newspaper that: "It is not only the bond between a mother and her child which makes a real difference to a child's life. It is the bond between a father and his child too."

The new classes will be for men only. They will focus on how a new baby can change relationships. There will also be lessons on communication skills. Other classes will be on possible problems and where to go for more support. The U.K. wants the divorce rate to go down. A spokesman said divorce harmed children affecting everything from their school work to eating habits to relations with parents. He added: "If we are serious about promoting a strong society, then we also have to be serious about seeking to support and strengthen families."