Support for Separating Families

Whether you are the parent that has made the decision to end the relationship, the parent that has had the decision imposed on them, or the child whose parents have separated, family separation is frequently a painful and traumatic time.

Parents often have to adjust to taking on different roles within the family, learn new skills and sort out many practical matters at a time when they least feel like doing so. Children have to learn how to adapt to spending time with their parents in two separate homes and therefore, having two homes themselves. Children have to learn how to manage their parents’ separation and conflict can make them feel as though they are in the middle of a game of tug of war. Family members are no longer able to take each other for granted as everyone re-adjusts to a new way of living. There are steps however, that can be taken by parents and children to make their experience less painful and the transition through separation easier to navigate.

Going through a separation or experiencing parental separation as a child, is often so much easier if support is secured as early as possible in the process.

For parents, reducing conflict is crucial if children are going to not only survive the separation, but flourish, both during childhood and well into their adult lives. Reducing conflict is often very difficult, due to the intense emotions that are experienced before, during and after separation. Receiving the right support helps parents to reduce conflict which will benefit their children’s well-being, now and into the future.

Click on this link to see a video of 4 families, learning to “see it differently.” Parents have fed back saying that this really helped them to look at things in a different light, reduce conflict and focus on the impact of what is happening on their children.

www.seeitdifferently.org/

In the pages below, details of different types of support can be found. They cover emotional support, support for parents, support for children and support for those who are experiencing or have experienced domestic abuse. To find out more about each of the support services listed and to get a feel of whether any of these might be helpful to you or any of your family, click on the appropriate links in the following pages.

Testimonials

The mediations sessions that my husband and I received helped us enormously to discuss in an amicable way our finances going forward in our divorce and therefore reaching a settlement amicably. The sessions we received via zoom worked extremely well especially as my husband was then living abroad enabling us to carry on with the process in a manner which didn't instigate relationship tensions which both parties felt developed during negotiations with our respective solicitors.

Adrienne remained professional and sensitive to the upset and trauma that divorce can cause to either party. I felt that her mediation was clear, time efficient and with the ability to diffuse situations which at times became heated in a gentle but controlled manner.

I would most certainly have no hesitation in recommending Adrienne to anyone who unfortunately finds themselves going through a divorce. I would like to add that mediation not only saved my husband and I most certainly large solicitor fees but more than this it has enabled us to separate in an amicable way which at one time felt impossible. After 11 years of marriage this has been a gift in order to remember the good that we had together and not to be bitter because of the nature of the divorce process.

I can't fully express really just how helpful, reassuring and supportive I found working with you to be. You helped me to find a way through such difficult discussions and decisions at such a confusing and vulnerable time. Thank you so very much.

I was really pleased with it. I felt comfortable that we were going through things with a level headed, tactful guide.

I cannot think of any way to improve your service. It was especially tricky through lockdown and the fact that we were able to keep meeting in a safe, supportive and productive way was amazing.

Mediation with you exceeded my expectations. Having had several sessions with a different mediation service, I was apprehensive and actually pretty fearful of how the process would leave me feeling. You always made me feel reassured and I felt that our family was in good hands. Your calm and sensitive approach, along with your considerable expertise was invaluable and I so appreciated your honesty and objectivity. I always felt listened to and that the whole experience was impartial and balanced, with the welfare of the girls at the centre of everything. I would have been happy and confident for you to meet with the girls had we reached that point, knowing that you would be sensitive to them and their needs too.

Thank you so much for all your help and advice. I have found the experience invaluable and still often refer back to some of the things we talked about to guide my decisions and actions.

You were very helpful and approachable and fair. You kept us on track when conversations went off on a tangent & allowed us to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

I would highly recommend Adrienne Cox for any couple who is going through a divorce ( and especially where a young child is involved as was in our situation ). Adrienne is very professional, highly skilled and knowledgeable.

It has been a long road with many ups and downs between myself and my husband but Adrienne has always remained very professional, neutral and very patient. We got there in the end, thanks to Adrienne,with an amicable, healthy relationship between ourselves which is the best outcome possible for our Son and a clearer future for us all.

I was very impressed with your professional service and the way the sessions were conducted in a calm and understanding environment.

I am satisfied and convinced that I couldn't have found a more competent, professional and sympathetic mediator and mediation service than that offered by yourself and your mediation service.

Just to let you know that the consent order has now been approved, the house transferred and the decree of absolute through, so all done and dusted thanks to mediation.

I didn't know what to expect having never been through it before but was very satisfied with your service. I really didn't know where to turn but your service really helped me.

The client reported that the mediation with you was really good. You were understanding but firm and he said he thought they had all come away from mediation feeling progress had been made with them all having compromised.