Partner Claire Dyer, head of our Family Law Team, explains our firm's support for Good Divorce Week 2021 and advice for parents when separating or divorcing.
Every parent wants to put their children’s interests front and centre during a divorce or separation but all too often they don’t know where to turn for help. That’s why Family Law body Resolution has created the ‘Parenting Through Separation Guide’ and made it the focus of Good Divorce Week 2021.
This free guide, written by family professionals, is available to families who are divorcing or separating, and advises parents of how to put their children first during a separation.
Advice on discussing divorce with your children, contained in the guide, includes:
- If your situation allows, try to have a joint conversation when all of your children are present. Keep this age appropriate.
- Plan a series of conversations, including different follow up conversations, if your children are different ages. Be mindful that their reactions will depend on their age, developmental stage and their individual personality.
- Reassure your children that it is okay to feel sad or scared and showing emotion is good. They can always talk to either of you and ask questions.
- Remember you are a role model and your children are watching how you manage this situation. If they see that you are still their parents, making decisions together about them, then they will cope better.
The guide also contains advice about how to co-parent with a former partner, background on the common disputes that arise between separating parents, and how to talk to children about the painful topic of divorce or separation, plus much more.
Partner Claire Dyer, head of Blandy & Blandy’s Family Law team, said: “We know that the pandemic has placed huge pressure on families and even more so on those who are separating. Every parent wants to put their children’s interests first, but all too often they don’t know where to turn for help and the advice and support they need to be able to do so.
It is important for parents to be able to access professional advice during what can be a very challenging time. Our Family Law team can discuss and help to assess your individual situation and provide clear and practical advice on a way forward which will achieve the best outcome for you and your family, while helping to carefully manage timescales and costs.”
Juliet Harvey, national chair of Resolution, said: “I’m really pleased to have Blandy & Blandy’s support during Good Divorce Week. Resolution members like them do really important work in their community to help families separate in a constructive and amicable way.”
For further information or legal advice, please contact law@blandy.co.uk or call 0118 951 6800.
This article is intended for the use of clients and other interested parties. The information contained in it is believed to be correct at the date of publication, but it is necessarily of a brief and general nature and should not be relied upon as a substitute for specific professional advice.
