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Parenting apart

If you and your partner have decided to separate, it can be hard to deal with, especially if you have children. Everyone handles with separation differently but there are some things you can try to make the separation easier for you and your children.

Parenting apart

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When you are separating or have separated

  1. Prioritise your child. When you’re with your child, try put your feelings aside and make sure their needs and feelings come first.  
  2. Provide some stability, by keeping routines and by spending time with your child and being open to their questions. 
  3. Reassure them that it will be okay, and that you still love them and will be there for them as much as you can.  
Parenting apart

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Looking for more?

See it differently help you to look forward at ways to improve communication.

Understanding your relationships from Togetherness is a free online course available to Wirral parents that offers expert advice and guidance on communication, coping with our feelings, conflict and ways to resolve issues. Further information on the other courses on offer can be found here Solihull Approach course library  , for free access enter your Wirral postcode and code Mersey.

Gingerbread is a charity for single parents and they have many useful articles that you can read through to help you through your separation.

Gingerbread ~ Separating

Family Lives is a website offering free and confidential information and advice on all aspects of family life including child development, issues with schools, parenting and relationship support, aggression in the home, bullying, teenage risky behaviour, and mental health concerns of both parents and their children.

If you need some extra support through the separation and divorce process before reaching court, use the following webpage for advice and guidance:

Advice Now ~ help to deal with family problems

Sorting out where your little one will live during the separation process can be hard.

NSPCC~ Understanding parental rights and responsibilities

Advice Now ~ Child arrangements

Making Child arrangements and further guidance can be found on GOV.UK ~Making child arrangements if you divorce or separate

Free Smarter Start to Separate Checklist from Separate Space which includes tips on talking to children about separation and divorce

Relate Cheshire & Merseyside – Relate

Whether it’s your relationship with a partner, a child, a family member or anyone else – 
we help everyone to build better relationships

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Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness Training – Crea8ing Community

Understand how trauma and toxic stress impacts childhood development and later outcomes.   Adverse Childhood Experiences Awareness Training Becoming trauma-informed…

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Communication Skills Workshop – Crea8ing Community

Crea8ing Community is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, providing Family, Mental Health, Wellbeing, Resilience, Education, and Parenting peer support, courses…

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Family Rights Group

Family Rights Group is a national charity that advises parents, grandparents, relatives and friends about their rights and options when social workers or courts make decisions about their children’s welfare. Working with parents whose children are in need, at risk or are in the care system and with wider family members and friends who are raising children (known as kinship carers).

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The Coaching Parent – Next Chapter NW CIC

Supporting child and family mental health, developing positive communication. Accredited with Open Awards, you will leave the course with a…

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Meerkat and Me – Crea8ing Community

Crea8ing Community is a charity created by like-minded people who have bonded over a passion for improving their mental well-being….

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Both Parents Matter

Both Parents Matter is a national charity dedicated to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to maintain meaningful relationships with both parents and their wider family after separation.

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Liverpool and Wirral Support Group – Both Parents Matter

Please join Both Parents Matter each month in Liverpool for face-to-face meetings supporting families through various challenges.

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Emotional Wellbeing and Resilience Workshop – Crea8ing Community

Crea8ing Community is a charity created by like-minded people who have bonded over a passion for improving their mental well-being….

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Cafcass

Cafcass stands for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service. Cafcass represents children in family court cases in England. They independently advise the family courts about what is safe for children and in their best interests. Putting children’s needs, wishes and feelings first, making sure that their voices are heard at the heart of the family court setting.

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Time to reflect

When thinking about how to support your child through your separation or divorce: 

What are you already doing that you want to carry on doing?  

What have you learned that you could try today?  

What do you want to do next?

Know what you want to do next?

Log into your free account (on the top right-hand side) to set a goal on something that’s important to you and your family – then you can check in to show yourself how far you’ve come.

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Young Person’s Guide to Getting Help, Support and Protection
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Parent Guide to Child In Need in Wirral
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