Online training to help separated parents

Parents who have split up will get help to raise their children through a new online training initiative.

Shared Parenting Scotland is launching a series of courses to help separated couples to control their stress levels and improve their communication skills.

Courses on the Shared Parenting training platform are interactive, with videos, quizzes and assignments that receive personal feedback.

The first two courses are Communicating in Challenging Times and Stress Awareness. They aim to develop skills that will help participants make the best and avoid the worst of relationship breakdown.

The courses will help parents learn how to deal with the challenges that arise with sharing the parenting of their children and focussing on achieving the best for them rather than perpetuating their grievances against each other.

Ian Maxwell, National Manager of Shared Parenting Scotland, says:  “Over the last ten years we have seen too many cases where the separated parents – fathers and mothers – allow their hurt and animosity prevent them from focussing on their children.

“We know from research around the world that separation is an adverse childhood experience for children but they do better if their parents can find a way of collaborating in their interest. They don’t have to like each other but they are the adults. They should put their responsibility to their children first. We know that isn’t easy and there are often friends and professionals rallying round to encourage them to focus on battling ‘the ex’ rather than remembering that in most cases both love their children and the children love them both.”

The training is free for a limited time. For more information, visit www.learnsharedparenting.scot