Kids, The Heart of Co-Parenting Resources from the BC Council for Families
The BC Council for Families has introduced the Kids: The Heart of Co-Parenting Guide to Issues of Separation and Divorce for Family Professionals. They note that what often makes these transitions successful is the existence of support, and professionals are in a great position to provide this with the help of the guide. Front line family support workers can make a difference for children by:
- Helping them directly to adjust to the variety of issues through separation/divorce.
- Providing parents with information and resources that will assist and support their children.
- Facilitating cooperative co-parenting practices with a goal of reducing family conflict.
The guide also introduces popular foundational theories and concepts, including change and transition; attachment theory; child development; loss and grief; cognitive behavioural theory; communication; and conflict management. Each theory/concept is then related to the process of separation or divorce.The guide starts by looking at separation and divorce today. This includes asking how we can define and acknowledge modern families, and urges for making children’s needs being the priority during separation or divorce.
Sections 3-6 of the guide discuss the experience of separation/divorce for a child, provides strategies and ideas for what helps children through these tough times, as well as guidelines for helping a family adopt a co-parenting lifestyle.
The guide is accompanied by tip sheets in English, Punjabi, Tagalog and Simplified Chinese.
