Family Information

Parents' relationships matter

Happy home, happy adults, happy children

We all have arguments and fall out with people, it’s a natural part of relationships. 

The disagreements between parents, whether you are together, separated or divorced, and how they are managed can impact on your children's happiness and wellbeing.  It is important for children to see that any disagreements, tensions are moving on in a positive way and that the people they love can come to an agreement.

There are many practical tools that can help you think about your relationships with your partner or parent of your child.

Support for parents

• Early Help service
  Children and young people can experience a range of difficulties at any time in their life. Early help services are for children and young people of any age and can be supported from all kinds of services and organisations who work together to support the family.

• Click Relationships
  Click offers support to individuals, couples, families and professionals from a secure and interactive website.  Features include a professional-led listening room, moderated forums, interactive learning, goal-setting, animations, quizzes, personalised recommendations and evaluation.   
  
  
• Family Lives
  Family Lives provides 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.
  
  
• Gingerbread
  Gingerbread help single parent families to live secure, happy and fulfilling lives by giving free and confidential support and expert advice on anything from dealing with a breakup to going back to work or sorting out child maintenance, benefit or tax credit issues.  If you plan to use the helpline, mornings tend to be busy, so sometimes calling in the afternoon can help.
  
  
• See It Differently
  The website includes a series of short videos to help parents become more aware of how they argue, how they might change their behaviour and how they might adopt some of the skills demonstrated in the videos.
  
  
• Young Minds: A guide for parents on separation
  Free advice and guidance for children and young people that can help them to cope with the emotional and physical changes going on around them during a family break-up.  

Resources for professionals

• Understanding the impact of parental conflict in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR)
  Free 50-minute awareness raising webinars are open to any professional working in Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland.  Find a webinar date and book a place. 
  
  
• Parental Conflict Toolkit Training
  Our Parental Conflict Toolkit is a universal practical guide for anyone working with parental conflict across the multi-agency workforce containing strategies and tools that can be used to support any couple or individual. More information will be made available in respect of how to book on from April 2023.  (GIVE INFO)
  
  
• Difference between domestic abuse and parental conflict webinars
  Thought-provoking 90-minute webinar for professionals that helps to recognise and understand the difference between parental conflict and domestic abuse.  The webinar explores the language used to describe both parental conflict and domestic abuse, its critical differences, why and how they look different from an affected person’s perspective; and what destructive and constructive conflict looks like.  

Additional support

The information provided can help manage everyday disagreements in a more positive and healthy way.  It is not about abusive relationships, when a relationship hurts you, either physically or emotionally.  However, should you feel at risk of or experience any domestic abuse view the support available, or contact our Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline: 0808 80 200 28.  

If you're in immediate danger, please call the Police on 999