Parenting Apart

Rosanne Cubitt

Head of Professional Practice, Relationships Scotland

Parenting Apart Facilitator and Family Mediator, Relationships Scotland Family Mediation South Lanarkshire

December 2008

Parenting Apart Groups

Information and skills for parents so that they can help their

children to successfully manage separation or divorce

Parenting Apart Groups

• complement other services and support

• share research and provide information

• develop skills and insight

• normalise separation and divorce

Parenting Apart Groups - Structure

3 hour workshops to groups of parents

information, discussion, practice, DVD, materials

parents can go to the same or different groups

groups run at different times and days

refreshments!

Parenting Apart Groups - Content

The emotional process of separation

What children need and what they need to hear

Developing a working relationship with your ex

Parenting Apart Groups - development

US and Australia In a US study of 10,000 parents, over 90% said that parent education had increased their appreciation of the importance of their child’s relationship with the other parent, and that they would recommend the groups to other separating parents.

Christina McGhee, US Divorce Coach and Parent Educator

Institute of Family Therapy in London

What parents do is the most important determinant of whether

or not children are at risk

The Truth about Children and Divorce, Emery, 2004

Parenting Apart Groups

helping families to thrive,

not just to survive

separation