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.

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Parenting apart

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When you are separating or have separated

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

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How can I help my child with my separation and divorce?

Being a single mum

Managing your money

Supporting your child through parental separation

Children’s rights when parents separate

Being a single parent

Passing on messages

Watching her words

Saying sorry

Working together

Meeting your needs

Looking for more?

The free Separating Better app aims to help you separate more amicably for the benefit of everyone involved, especially the children. The app contains:

Budgeting and legal tools
Parenting plans
New videos on healthy conflict management and communication skills
Evidence-based advice on separation and co-parenting

click here to download the app for Android devices

click here to download the app for IOS devices

Click is a website offering relationship support from experts and community. Advice and guidance on parenting through break up’s or struggling to manage parenting apart.

Understanding your relationships from Solihull Approach 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. Code to access course is Mersey. Further information on the other courses on offer can be found here Solihull Approach course library

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

If you need some extra support through the separation and divorce process before reaching court, use this webpage:

Advice Now ~ help to deal with family problems

Sorting out where your little one will live during the separation process can be hard. Here some some top tips to help guide you:

Advice Now ~ Child arrangements

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

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.