Capitol Family Mediation City of London

Gingerbread – The national charity for single-parent families. Offers expert advice on benefits, housing, child maintenance, and runs local groups and online forums for friendship and support.
Website: Gingerbread (check for local groups)

Only Mums & Only Dads
Advice and support specifically for single mums and single dads navigating separation and family life, with focus on co-parenting and legal resources.
Websites: Only Mums & Dads

Single Parents Support and Advice Services (SPSAS) Practical advice, emotional support, and help with entitlements and benefits. May provide local emergency support depending on funding.
Website: SPSAS (check local service availability)

If your family includes a child with a disability or additional needs, the charity Contact (0808 808 3555) is an excellent resource for advice and support tailored to your situation.

The Role of the School in Supporting Separated Families

A child’s school often serves as a central and stable institution during the turbulence of parental separation. While schools are primarily educational establishments, their pastoral and safeguarding roles mean they are key partners in supporting children and their separated parents.

The school’s role is generally to be neutral, stable, and child-focused. They are not usually required to mediate parental disputes, but they must cooperate with both parents who hold Parental Responsibility.

1. Information Sharing and Communication

The school has a duty to ensure both parents are kept informed about the child’s life and progress, provided both hold Parental Responsibility (PR).

• Access to Information: A parent with PR, even if the child does not primarily live with them, is generally entitled to receive copies of school reports, newsletters, general circulars, and information about school activities.
• Parent Contact Details: Schools should ask separated parents to provide up-to-date contact details for both homes and communicate with both parents separately where requested, ensuring both parties have access to necessary information.
• Parent-Teacher Meetings: Both parents with PR are generally entitled to attend parents’ evenings. The school may offer separate appointments if conflict makes a joint meeting impractical.
• School Documentation: If the court issues a Child Arrangements Order (CAO), parents must provide the school with a copy. The school must comply with the order, particularly regarding who can collect the child and the contact details specified.

2. Safeguarding and Child Welfare

The child’s welfare is the school’s paramount concern, particularly when parental conflict is high.2

• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): The school’s DSL is responsible for safeguarding children.3 If a parent shares concerns about conflict or domestic abuse, the DSL will assess the information and decide whether a referral to Children’s Services is necessary to protect the child.
• The Handover/Collection: Schools should have a clear policy for who is authorised to collect the child. They will strictly adhere to court orders or written agreements specifying collection arrangements. If one parent attempts to collect the child when the other parent has sole legal residence, the school must not release the child.
• Emotional Support: Teachers, teaching assistants, and the pastoral team can offer immediate emotional support.4 They can look out for signs of distress, change in behaviour, or academic decline often linked to family difficulties.