helping your child cope with your break-up

coping with a break-up | help and info

help and info

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organisations

The Children's Legal Centre
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester CO4 3SQ
Tel: 01206 872 466
E-mail: clc@essex.ac.uk
Website: www.childrenslegalcentre.com
An independent national charity concerned with law and policy affecting children and young people. The centre is staffed by lawyers and professionals with experience in child law.

Gingerbread
Advice Line: 0800 018 4318 (Mon-Fri 10am-4pm)
E-mail: advice@gingerbread.org.uk
Website: www.gingerbread.org.uk
Provides day-to-day support and practical help for lone parents and their children via a national network of local self-help groups. Membership of Gingerbread is free and open to all lone parent families in England and Wales. Call the helpline for advice on benefits, childcare, CSA, contact, divorce, employment, housing, maternity rights and lone parenthood.

National Council for One Parent Families
255 Kentish Town Road
London NW5 2LX
Lone Parent Helpline: 0800 018 5026 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; Wed 9am-8pm)
Tel: 020 7428 5400 (office)
E-mail: info@oneparentfamilies.org.uk (not for personal advice)
Website: www.oneparentfamilies.org.uk
Information for lone parents on a variety of issues including maintenance, tax credits, benefits, work, education, legal rights, childcare and holidays. Also details of other organisations and local groups who may be able to help.

National Family Mediation (NFM)
Alexander House
Telephone Avenue
Bristol BS1 4BS
Tel: 01392 271610
E-mail: general@nfm.org.uk
Website: www.nfm.u-net.com
A network of over 60 not-for-profit Family Mediation Services in England and Wales offering help to couples, married or unmarried, who are in the process of separation and divorce. It is committed to providing mediation to everyone who needs it, in all communities.

Parentline Plus
Helpline: 0808 800 2222 (24 hours)
Textphone: 0800 783 6783
E-mail: contact@parentlineplus.org.uk
Website: www.parentlineplus.org.uk
Offers support to anyone parenting a child: the child's parents, stepparents, grandparents and foster parents. Runs free telephone and e-mail helplines, parenting courses and offers information leaflets.

websites

Divorce and Children
www.divorceandchildren.com
Divorce counsellor Christina McGhee (who appeared in Channel 4's series How to Divorce Without Screwing Up Your Children) has been working with children and families since 1989. This website contains details of the services she offers, a useful set of parenting guidelines on topics like 'communication techniques' and 'parenting with your ex' as well as other helpful resources.

Divorce Aid
www.divorceaid.co.uk
An extensive self-help and support website for families going through separation and divorce. It aims to reduce the conflict and distress associated with the divorce process, thus enabling families to minimise legal costs.

divorce.co.uk
www.divorce.co.uk
An online UK resource for all aspects of divorce and separation.

Ending a Relationship
www.adviceguide.org.uk/ ..
Advice Guide from the Citizens Advice Bureau on ending a relationship, cohabitation or marriage, including information about property, finance, family mediation and making arrangements for children.

Equal Parenting Council (EPC)
www.equalparenting.org
The EPC campaigns for shared parenting as the best arrangement for children after their parents divorce or separate.

It's Not Your Fault
www.itsnotyourfault.org
Practical information for children, young people and parents going through a family break-up.

on divorce
www.ondivorce.co.uk
Website aimed at people going through divorce or separation offering helplines, discussion boards, case studies, information-based articles and chatrooms to allow people to communicate with others in a similar situation to themselves.

Shared Parenting Information Group
www.spig.clara.net
Pressure group promoting responsible shared parenting after separation and divorce.

The longer-term impact of family mediation
www.jrf.org.uk/ ..
Social Policy Research article from 1996 examining family mediation over a three-year period, including discussion of the benefits of mediation and the future role of mediation in divorce.

reading

	Ex-Etiquette for Parents: Good Behaviour After a Divorce or Separation by Jann Blackstone-Ford (Chicago Review Press, 2004) Whether it's co-ordinating discipline, introducing a new partner, dealing with late child support payments or providing a regular schedule, this guide empowers parents to change what they can – their attitudes and communication skills. Get this book
	How to Help Your Children Survive Your Divorce by Jody Beveridge and Alan Bradley (Foulsham, 2004) This book draws on the questions children ask and the feelings they hide and explains in simple terms how to anticipate problems, avoid unnecessary harm and what action to take if things have gone wrong. Get this book
	Helping Children Cope with Divorce by Edward Teyber (Jossey Bass Wiley, 2001) This book shows parents how to minimise stress during breakup and separation, to explain divorce so children don't blame themselves, and to navigate conflicts of loyalty and alliance. Get this book
	It's Not Your Fault, Koko Bear by Vicki Lansky (Book Peddlers, 2003) A read-together book for parents and young children during divorce. Get this book
	Joint Custody with a Jerk: Raising a Child with an Uncooperative Ex by Julie Ross and Judy Corcoran (Saint Martin's Press, 1996) Using proven communication techniques, this book offers advice for dealing with common problems of divorced couples who share custody of a child. Get this book
	Mum and Dad Split Up by Elizabeth O'Loughlin (Pangolin Books, 2005) Designed for adults and children to read together, or for older children to read by themselves, the book acknowledges children's distress and emphasises to them the importance of talking to others about how they are feeling. Get this book

(Resources updated January 2006)

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