PARENTAL SEPARATION RESOURCES: FOR CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, PARENTS, AND SCHOOLS

Childline:

YoungMinds:

The Mix:

National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACC):

  • Website link: https://naccc.org.uk/
  • The NACC provides safe spaces where children can meet the parents they don’t live with.
  • Has a “Kids Stuff” page providing help and advice to young people whose parents have separated: https://naccc.org.uk/kidsstuff

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass):

Voices in the Middle:

  • Website link: https://www.voicesinthemiddle.com/
  • Voices in the Middle is a place where young people aged 13 to 19 years old, whose parents are splitting up can find a place to share their voice, read helpful and age- appropriate content plus connect with support designed just for them.

Gingerbread:

Sesame Street:

Kooth:

  • Website link: https://www.kooth.com/
  • A safe, free, and anonymous online support for young people
  • Open Monday-Friday 12pm-10pm and Saturday-Sunday 6pm-10pm
  • Must make an account to access the website but the username can be anonymous
  • The website also has articles, live forums, a daily journal, and the Kooth community
  • When Mom and Dad Separate: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief (Drawing Out Feelings), by Marge Eaton Heegaard – ages 8-12 years
  • The following books are recommended by Little Parachutes: https://www.littleparachutes.com/category/issues/divorce-separation/
    • Two Nests, by Laurence Anholt (author) & Jim Coplestone (illustrator) – ages 3-6 years
      • ISBN: 9781847803238
      • Available in Redbridge Libraries
    • Mum and Dad Glue, by Kes Gray (author) & Lee Wildish (illustrator) – ages 3- 8 years
      • ISBN: 9780340957103
      • Available in Redbridge Libraries
    • You Make Your Parents Super Happy!, by Richy K. Chandler – ages 3-7 years

 

Relate:

London Borough of Redbridge:

  • Website link: https://find.redbridge.gov.uk/kb5/redbridge/fsd/service.page?id=i31I1kaqcao
  • Offers Family Support (delivered by Family Support Workers within the EI&FSS)
  • Family support workers (part of the Early Intervention & Family Support Service (EI&FSS) work with children, young people and their families within the family home.
  • They can help families to make links with community and universal services such as registering with a GP or attending their local Children’s Centre, and help families understand each other members better and improve their relationships.
  • Family support workers also undertake a large amount of work with families to help them establish routines and behaviours that make family living more positive.
  • For more details contact:

o Tel: 020 8708 2612 | 020 8708 2611 | 020 8708 2610

NSPCC:

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families:

Redbridge Talking Therapies:

  • Website link: https://www.talkingtherapies.nelft.nhs.uk/redbridge/
  • Provide a wide range of treatments and services helping those feeling distressed by difficult events in their lives as well as people concerning their mental health.
  • Their services are confidential, easy to access and available to people living in the London borough of Redbridge.

YoungMinds:

City of York:

BBC:

Gingerbread:

Understanding Childhood:

Family Lives:

Tavistock Relationships:

  • Website link: https://www.tavistockrelationships.org/
  • “Parents as Partners”: https://tavistockrelationships.org/relationship-help/parents- as-partners-programme
    • This programme looks at the whole family, not just the relationship between parents and their children. Both parents are involved in sessions, and the group is always led by a male and female pair of trained workers.
    • Parents as Partners has proven results in helping:
      • Improve your relationship and communication with your child's other parent
      • Strengthen your family relationships and improve your child's wellbeing and success
      • Manage the challenges and stress of family life
      • Reduce conflict in your relationship
    • For more information email: parentsaspartners@tavistockrelationships.org
  • “Reducing the impact of interparental conflict on children’s mental health”:

https://tavistockrelationships.org/children-in-need

  • Delivers therapeutic support to separated parents whose ongoing conflict is affecting the mental health of their children. The project will provide couple therapy to the parents alongside peer mentoring support to their children.
  • The therapeutic element (delivered by Tavistock Relationships online) will involve three ‘assessment sessions’ (two to parents individually, one to parents together, to agree a focus for the therapy), followed by six sessions of fortnightly couple therapy.
  • The peer mentoring programme – a six to eight week programme covering a variety of aspects of young people’s lives and relationships – will be delivered to small groups of young people aged 10-18 by Fitzrovia Youth in Action online.
  • Parents can self-refer to this programme; please

email parenting@tavistockrelationships.org if you are interested in making a referral or finding out more about this project.

Sesame Street in Communities:

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass):

Royal College of Psychiatrists:

  • This webpage looks at the effect that divorce or separation of parents might have on children and young people, and offers practical advice on how to ease this.

Voices in the Middle:

Family Justice Young People’s Board (FJYPB):

  • Website link: https://naccc.org.uk/downloads/GetHelp/Top-Tips-for-parents.pdf
  • A helpful pdf leaflet with top tips for parents who are separated
  • The FJYPB members are children and young people with experience of family law proceedings. They have devised these top tips for parents to help them think about matters from their child’s perspective.

National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACCC):

  • Website link: https://naccc.org.uk/
  • NACCC’s aim is to keep children in touch with parents following separation in a safe environment because parenting shouldn’t end when relationships do

divorce/recommended-books-for-parents-facing-divorce/

The conversation:

Cordell & Cordell:

The School Run:

Dr. JoAnne Pedro-Carroll:

Withersworldwide:

Our family wizard: