recommendation 1
a national information hub to link up existing services so that separating families get early help
A rich seam of services to support separated families already exists but it is recognised that too many of these are localised and hard to find. A national information service is needed, available online and by telephone, to link up services across the UK so that parents can access services at the earliest point in their separation…
I fully agree that there needs to be a National early interventions service to help support and educate separating parents to all aspects of parental separation and post separation parenting arrangements and options. This should provide unbiased advice on mediation services, collaborative and litigation family law, Children Act, housing, benefits, Child Benefit, child support, childcare.
Early information is helpful, but often there are little or no services that can help provide remedies to many of the tough situations parents find themselves. I may have more to say on this after reviewing the other recommendations.
I agree. As a former Childcare Information Service manager, I can confirm there are already some great projects nationwide that seek to provide access to clear and transparent information available. NHS Direct is a good example of this in terms of health care information.
As a parent, I need access to useful and relevant examples showing how and why other seperatedf parents and families chose to address their challenges, as and when they arise.
As parents we need access to good quality information, at a location I can get to, in a format I can understand and produced in a clear and concise way that offers follow up support – toolkits instead of talk.
Paula
Having absolutely no support from any family friend or organisation, I now have no contact with my children, have been denied a share of my property for over 8 years and have lost the will to live.
I am a mother who has struggled against parental alienation through the courts and Cafcass who have aided and abetted my ex husband. I have not seen my much loved sons for nearly 1 year. I have spent £60,000 in 2008. I am determined to use my experience to help others . Four years ago I needed a service like yours. I am funding a campaign to raise awareness of tragic repercussions of parental conflict. I am hoping to bring into our services a programme to help educate parents about the damage they can create for their children through conflict and ways to deal with their high emotions to give parents tools to create a stable separated family, thus avoiding taking children through the courts. I believe your organisation can help.
regards Leigh
Provision for separating parents is uneven. Government is not oblivious to the stereotypes you rally against, and quick to appeal to the general population, by attacking ‘feckless fathers’ and defending ‘lone mothers’. As a result the needs of separated fathers have tended to be overlooked or ignored.