Supporting separated parents in Hertfordshire
Reducing parental conflict forms part of our commissioning priorities within Early Help and over the past 6 months we have been running Parenting When Separated. A practical and positive evidence-based course for parents who are preparing for, going through, or have gone through a separation or divorce.
Parenting When Separated is a six-week course that highlights practical steps parents can take to help their children cope and thrive, as well as coping successfully themselves.
Topics include:
- Solving co-parenting problems in a positive way that focus on the needs of children.
- Coping with the emotional impact of separation and learning stress management techniques.
- Helping your children cope with the impact of the separation both emotionally and practically.
- Enhancing communication with their children and with their children's other parent.
The course is free to attend and is open to separated parents from all backgrounds. Both mothers and fathers, resident and non-resident parents. Where both parents wish to attend the course they attend separate courses to allow parents the confidence to explore the emotional impact of separation.
To date we have had 105 referrals for the course with the majority of these referrals being self-referrals following promotion through schools. We have run 4 groups both online and in person and have a further 2 dates planned before Christmas.
- Online on Monday 30th October until 4th December from 6:30-9pm
- Face to Face on Thursday 2nd November to the 7th December at The Shephall Centre from 10am-12:30pm
Make a referral here
The course is a mixed group of up to 12 parents of both resident and non-resident parents ensuring that the group is rich with experience. Parents complete goal setting at the beginning of the course and provide weekly feedback on what they have learnt from the course, anything they would like to cover and how they are achieving against their goals.
Parents have fed back how they find the group ‘non judgemental’ and that the most valuable aspect of the course has been ‘ideas & understanding of other parents viewpoints plus little tips and tricks to ease communication’
Parents advised in their feedback “We have come closer as a group and we will all stay in touch weekly to have that continued safe space between us outside of the formal setting. It’s been brilliant to have met and got to know the guys in the group and I hope we continue to support each other as we work through our situations.”
All participants that completed the course felt that they had improved skills and techniques to feel more confident in supporting their child’s needs as a result of separation and in communication with their child’s other parent.
For more information about relationships support access Relationship support for parents | Hertfordshire County Council