Training: New ways for families

Date: 11th August 2023
Category: Basic Health and Welfare, Family Environment and Alternative Care
Author:

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What do children need when parents separate? The online training and coaching programme New Ways For Families is now available in the UK following a pilot exercise in Scotland conducted by Shared Parenting Scotland.

Children are at the centre of the New Ways for Families® approach. It's about putting them first when parents separate, improving co-parenting and making decisions together out of court. 

When parents make their own decisions, they are more likely to follow the agreements and protect their children from the detrimental effects of conflict.

Separated parents who work through the ten online modules learn communication and understanding skills which will help them reach agreement.  The three coaching sessions during this learning allow them to practise these skills before putting them into use.

The programme reduces the negative impact of conflict on children in family breakup, reduces stress levels and calms potentially high-conflict separation.  This helps parents to avoid taking court action.

One of the parents who completed the programme in the Scottish Pilot commented: "I really wish I did the New Ways for Families course before we got into the court process. However, better late than never. Thanks for your help getting me on this course."

The evaluation of the Pilot concluded: “New Ways for Families®, delivered on-line with the support of trained and committed coaches, is a valuable option in a continuum of services for parents embroiled in high-conflict separations.”

• For more information and to sign up to the programme click here.