Parental Conflict and Separation
When conflict is handled in a destructive, rather than constructive, way it can have negative consequences for parents and their children.
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What is parental conflict?
What is parental conflict?
Some level of arguing and conflict between parents is often a normal part of everyday life. However, there is strong evidence to show how inter-parental conflict that is frequent, intense and poorly resolved can have a significant negative impact on children’s mental health and long-term life chances.
Damaging conflict between parents can be expressed in many ways such as:
aggression
silence
lack of respect
lack of resolution
Conflict can affect children in all types of parental relationships, including:
parents who are in a relationship, whether married or not
parents who have separated or divorced
biological and step parents
other family members playing a parenting role
foster and adoptive parents
same-sex couples
Impacts of parental conflict
Impacts of parental conflict
Frequent, intense and poorly resolved conflict between parents can place children at risk of mental health issues, and behavioural, social and academic problems. It can also have a significant effect on a child’s long-term outcomes.
There is a strong body of evidence to show how damaging inter-parental conflict can:
harm children’s outcomes, even when parents manage to sustain positive parent-child relationships
put children at more risk of:
having problems with school and learning
negative peer relationships
physical health problems
smoking and substance misuse
mental health and wellbeing challenges
The risks can also have an effect on long-term life outcomes such as:
poor future relationship chances
reduced academic attainment
lower employability
heightened interpersonal violence
depression and anxiety
The Parental Relationship spectrum from For Baby's sake, Helps professionals (and parents) to distinguish between healthy, conflict and abusive relationships
The Parental Relationship spectrum from For Baby's sake, Helps professionals (and parents) to distinguish between healthy, conflict and abusive relationships
Reducing Parental Conflict videos:
Reducing Parental Conflict videos:
See It Differently
Withdrawal
Chores
Brene Brown on Blame
Brene Brown on Empathy
New Trainers
Information, Resources & Support
Information, Resources & Support
Dorset Council - Parent relationships find helpful tips and digital programmes to help improve your communication with the other parent depending on family circumstances.
Gov.uk – advises on what is parental conflict. See it Differently – has produced digital content to support parents and carers work through different conflict scenarios find out more.
See It Differently: A collaboration between Good Things Foundation and OnePlusOne, See It Differently has co-produced digital content to support parents and carers has digital content that helps parents recognise and work through different conflict scenarios.
Relate - The relationship charity offer a range of support for family life and parenting, as well as conflict with relationship.
Click Relationships: Offers a wide range of relationship support, as well as support for parenting together and apart.
Action for Children: Offers Parent Talk, which provides parenting advice to families, and parenting coaches for those who want it.
CAFCASS: The Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service has a broad range of information, including a directory of further services for parents and families.
Between Us App designed to help you have a better relationship with your partner now or in the future.
Tavistock Relationships A charity for advanced practice, training, and research to support couples, individuals, and families. Free Support for Inter parental Conflict' (or SIPCo for short) programme for Dorset and BCP parents.
Further research and resources on parental conflict are available on the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) RPC hub. The EIF is a research partner of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the hub provides a repository of key evidence, tools and guidance on reducing parental conflict.
Parental responsibility - Parental responsibility: guide for schools and local authorities. Guidance for local authorities and schools dealing with adults who have legal rights and responsibilities for a child.
One Plus One Website with evidence-based resources to support the development of healthy relationships.
Marriage Care A national charity, specialising in adult couple relationships
Citizens Advice - family A national charity and network of local charities. They offer confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free.
DAD.info A website offering peer to peer support and advice for Dads
The Fatherhood Institute A charity that raises the profile of ‘involved fatherhood’
Openforparents.org.uk A website with support for parents with parenting and relationship issues
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