The national family justice organisation Resolution has highlighted its Parenting Through Separation Guide as part of Good Divorce Week (29 November – 3 December 2021), its annual initiative which raises awareness of how families can separate amicably. The guide is written by family professionals and advises parents on steps they can take to put their children first during a separation or divorce.
This year, the focus of Good Divorce Week is parenting through separation.
The pandemic has put huge pressure on families, particularly those who are separating. Every parent wants to put their children’s interests front and centre, but all too often they don’t know where to turn for help and aren’t given the support they need in order to do this.
It’s important for parents to have access to good, authoritative and professional advice that helps separating couples to parent responsibly through the process and Resolution’s Parenting Through Separation Guide offers guidance to help them find a better way forward for them and their children.
The free guide is available to any parent seeking help during their separation. It contains advice about how to co-parent with a former partner, background information on the common disputes that arise between separating parents, and tips how to talk to children about the painful topic of divorce or separation, plus much more.
Here’s an extract of advice contained within the guide:
Top tips for discussing divorce with your children
- If your situation allows, try to have a joint conversation when all of your children are present. Keep this age appropriate.
- Plan a series of conversations, including different follow up conversations, if your children are different ages. Be mindful that their reactions will depend on their age, developmental stage and their individual personality.
- Reassure your children that it is okay to feel sad or scared and showing emotion is good. They can always talk to either of you and ask questions.
- Remember you are a role model and your children are watching how you manage this situation. If they see that you are still their parents, making decisions together about them, then they will cope better.
Jane Tatlock is an active member of our Collaborative POD (Best Divorce Options Group for Peterborough, Huntingdon, Rutland and surrounds).
