Barton House evacuation: information for residents.

Relationship support for parents and co-parents

Why relationships matter and online resources for relationship support for parents and co-parents

Why relationships matter

Relationship quality is an important factor in all families whether you are an extended family, adopted family, step family, same sex family or grandparent family.

Conflict in relationships is part of everyday life but conflict which is frequent, intense and poorly resolved can lead to distressed relationships and have harmful effects on children. 

pdf Resource page for the toolkit for positive communication to build stronger relationships (288 KB) .

Support for Inter-Parental Conflict (SIPCo) project

If you have a child or children aged between 8 and 14 years old, and you're currently in conflict with your partner or co-parent, then the SIPCo project could help.

pdf The SIPCo project (835 KB) aims to help you learn strategies to reduce the conflict between you and your partner, or between you and your co-parent if you're no longer together.

The SIPCo project could help you if you:

  • have a child or children aged between 8 and 14
  • find it hard to get on with your partner or your ex
  • frequently argue with your partner or your ex, or have stopped talking to each other

To find out more:

Healthy relationships for parents

If you're a Bristol resident you can access three online courses to help promote quality relationships from OnePlusOne Go to https://www.oneplusone.org.uk/parents (opens new window):

  • Me, You and Baby Too, for new and expectant parents
  • Arguing Better, for parents or carers who want help with stress or arguing
  • Getting It Right for Children, for separating or separated parents

You'll need to register on OnePlusOne Go to https://www.oneplusone.org.uk/parents (opens new window) with your name and email to see the courses. The courses are free of charge.

Me, You and Baby Too

Becoming parents can change your relationship. Tiredness and stress associated with parenthood can lead to you and your partner misunderstanding each other.

This course can help you improve communication skills and manage conflict better. It has videos to help couples navigate the transition to parenthood.

Arguing Better

This course will help you understand the impact of parental arguments on children and how to argue in a constructive way.

Getting it right for children

This course helps parents develop effective ways to co-operate after separation.

When parents separate, it's easy for children to get caught in the middle of their disagreements. 

Information cards

Getting on Better cards

These eight Getting on Better cards are for parents  who are together or separated.  They may help you to think about your relationship and how you can communicate better or deal with conflict more effectively.

Email relationshipsmatter@bristol.gov.uk if you want these Getting on Better cards in Polish, Somali, and Arabic.

Getting it right for children skills cards

These five skills cards are for parents doing the Getting it right for children course. The cards will help remind parents of key communication skills from the course.

Email relationshipsmatter@bristol.gov.uk if you want these Getting it right for children cards in Polish, Somali, and Arabic.

Other digital resources

See it Differently

See it Differently Go to https://www.seeitdifferently.org/ (opens new window) has videos that highlight the damaging impact parental conflict can have on children. 

Relation Kit 

Relation Kit Go to https://relationkit.co.uk/videos/ (opens new window)  has videos and support to help you do things differently.

Click

Click Go to https://click.clickrelationships.org/home/all-issues/ (opens new window) have free, expert relationship advice and a supportive community to discuss relationship issues with

Relate

Relate Go to https://www.relate.org.uk/ (opens new window) offer help and advice including ‘ask Ammanda Go to https://www.relate.org.uk/ask-ammanda (opens new window)' Relate's head of clinical practice and trained relationship counsellor and sex therapist.

Advice on handling arguments

Advice on handling arguments Go to https://www.relate.org.uk/get-help?theme[38]=38 (opens new window)includes bite size information, videos and tools to help you think about how and why arguments start, dealing with the moment and after.

Parenting after separation

Bristol City Council parenting courses

We run a range of parenting courses including Parents Plus Parenting When Separated Programme: for parents who are preparing for, going through, or have gone through a separation or divorce.

Parenting when Separated

This is a 6 week course, running for 2.5 hours per session. This course is for parents who are preparing for, going through or have gone through a separation or divorce. 

As the Parenting when Separated course is focused on personal development and coping, we recommend that parents attend this course alone. Separated parents of the same children should attend separate courses.

If you're interested in the Parenting when Separated course or would like further advice about parental relationship support contact relationshipsmatter@bristol.gov.uk and a parental relationship practitioner will get back to you.

pdf Parenting when Separated information sheet (256 KB) .

National Family Mediation

National Family Mediation Go to https://www.nfm.org.uk/ (opens new window) have a team of skilled mediators in Bristol who are available to provide family mediation services to families.

As an established contractor of Free Legal Aid Go to https://www.gov.uk/legal-aid (opens new window), many clients who are eligible for Legal Aid receive mediation services without any charge.

Schools training resource

The National Family Mediation team have also put together a schools training resource.

It is aimed at teachers but does have information that will useful to parents as well.

Fegans

Fegans offer a free online course parenting after separation Go to https://www.fegans.org.uk/parenting-post-separation-0/ (opens new window) 

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families has advice  and guidance for separated or separating parents Go to https://www.annafreud.org/parents-and-carers/in-conflict/ (opens new window).

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) 

Bristol Separated Parents Information Programme​ (SPIP) is now called Planning Together For Children.

This is a course which promotes cooperative parenting. It supports parents to think about the needs of their children first when they're working out to parent together when separating or living apart. 

Planning Together for Children isn't currently available for parents outside of the court process or who want to refer themselves, but you can use the Parenting Plan.

If you can't access the link or don't want to do the plan online, use the Word version.

Relationships and caring for a disabled child

Contact Go to https://contact.org.uk/ (opens new window) for families with disabled children has a free relationships and caring for a disabled child guide Go to https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontact.org.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F03%2Frelationships_guide.pdf&data=05%7C01%7C%7C801884fcd0b6473ec8f708db0db627fe%7C6378a7a50f214482aee0897eb7de331f%7C0%7C0%7C638118848260466316%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ySzu%2BZlCVkS3SIcX2wVqwKm1HJuvPMGhIrPJJH5LqBk%3D&reserved=0 (opens new window).

Useful apps

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