This year, Good Divorce Week is encouraging a child-focused approach to separation with a helpful new guide, Parenting Through Separation. This will assist families through separation and divorce and forward into a new, positive routine. And don’t forget, if you need a little help along the way we’re here for you – make sure to get in touch with our expert family lawyers.
Parenting Through Separation
This helpful, straightforward guide covers topics such as:
- Sharing our stories
- The end of the relationship – what does it feel like and what will happen now?
- What should my first steps be now that I have separated from my partner?
- Your new co-parenting role
- Communication
- How important is the voice of the child?
- Extended family
- What are the types of dispute that might arise between separating parents?
- The future and changes that might happen along the way
- How could things look if we get this right?
- We can’t agree and need help
- What is the legal position?
- Jargon buster
- What do I do if I have been in an abusive relationship?
- What resources can my child(ren) and I refer to?
How could things look if we get this right?
If you get it right, your child will reap the benefits because good co-parenting really enhances a child’s life. Your child will:
- move between houses and families with the minimal amount of disruption
- talk freely about their other parent in front of you without feeling judged
- know what is happening on important days and times of the year like Christmas
- not have to choose between parents
- know that both of you can go to parents evenings and school shows and other significant events together and easily
- grow up with a good attitude towards relationships
How to resolve issues
Exploring ways to come to an agreement together will benefit your co-parenting relationship and most importantly, your child. You may find some of these suggestions helpful:
- Arrange a face to face meeting (without your children) to discuss the issues you are facing
- Make a written record of any agreement. Some parents find it helpful to create a Parenting Plan. A useful template is provided by Cafcass
- Consider a co-parent workshop or co-parent coaching course
- Seek help from a family consultant
- If you are on relatively friendly terms with your co-parent, then mediation may be an option for you to consider. Child inclusive mediation involves a family mediator trained as a child consultant. They talk with your child as part of the mediation process
- Collaborative law can help you reach an agreement tailored to your particular family circumstances. You each instruct your own collaboratively trained lawyer and attend round table discussions with your lawyers present
- Arbitration can be used as a direct alternative to court and is helpful if you are struggling to reach agreement on a particular issue
- If you run out of options, then an application to the Court may be the answer
Support the Parenting Through Separation Guide
If you would like to support Resolution’s inspiring campaign to promote the guide, follow this link. Here you will find details of how to write to your MP, and other resources. Resolution has 6500 members – family lawyers and other professionals committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes.
Good Divorce Week, Parenting Through Separation
Contact Family Lawyer Joanne Houston on 01962 217640 for an initial consultation on Good Divorce Week, Parenting Through Separation. In this 20 minute session she will review your situation and how you can achieve your objectives.
JUST FAMILY LAW are specialist divorce and family lawyers. We offer Pay as you go costs. We offer Collaborative law solutions tailored to your family’s needs.
The topics covered in this blog post Good Divorce Week, Parenting Through Separation are complex. They are provided for general guidance only. If any of the circumstances mentioned in this blog apply to you, seek expert legal advice. This is an evolving area of the law and is current at the date of publication.
image for Good Divorce Week, Parenting Through Separation Children Dancing, Geneva by Yann on Wikimedia
