The Positive Parenting Alliance launches the #ParentsPromise

A coalition of charities and stakeholders has announced the laugh of a new campaign aimed at parents.

The Positive Parenting Alliance is asking couples who are still together to make the pledge that, should their relationship break down in the future, they will act in the best interest of their children’s mental and physical wellbeing.

Lottery win

Research done in February 2021 found that 87% of couples had discussed what they would do if they won the lottery but only 5% had discussed potential parenting arrangements should they separate in the future.

Founder James Hayhurst said of the campaign:

“It’s not surprising that most couples have not had a conversation about what would happen should they split up. But, for many, it will happen. The ask is simple: open a dialogue with your partner when you are still in love – not at the point of a relationship breakdown – and make a commitment together to put your child first, whatever happens.

“In doing so, we hope to drive positive behavioural change whereby thousands of couples and their children, will be protected from the devastating, and often avoidable, impacts of an adversarial split.”

Focus on well-being

According to research conducted by the Family Solutions Group in 2020, an estimated 280,000 children a year experience family separation. The Positive Parenting Alliance argues that this is one of the most significant health risks to children. Their aim is to create a child-focussed society which includes better systems to ensure the long-term wellbeing of children when their parents separate.

Family separation has been found to be the number one reason that children are referred to counselling in the UK. Children’s charity Fegans found in their 2020 study that 67% of primary aged children were referred to them for counselling due to ongoing family tensions.

The Positive Parenting Alliance hope that by coming together to raise this discussion they can change the focus to that of the children when a couple separate.

More information

For more information on the Positive Parenting Alliance and the #ParentsPromise, please visit their website here.

If you require any legal advice in relation to your relationship or children, please contact our family team here.

This article was written by Jo Smith, Marketing Manager. The contents of this article are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. Specific legal advice should be taken on each individual matter. This article is based on the law as of May 2021.