Scheme to 'keep parents together' launched across Dorset
Dorset Council's offering parents free relationship therapy
Parents in Dorset are being offered free relationship therapy through a Dorset Council funded project.
New studies suggest 1 in 6 children across Dorset experience persistent arguing and conflict between parents.
The same report found children can become insecure, disobedient and worry more as a result of parental conflict.
Family practitioner, Michael Taylor told us: “Parental conflict can become quite embedded, quite toxic, and it's a very negative environment for children to grow up in.
“The children who are witnessing parental conflict are likely to struggle in school, have attendance issues, fail to concentrate and be quite disruptive in class.
“Long term, children who witness parental conflict and unhealthy behaviours from their parents are likely to repeat that later on in life.”
The project is being offered across Dorset, BCP and Bristol and uses therapeutic approaches to help parents reduce conflict.
It aims to help partners and coparents learn coping techniques to argue less and communicate better.
Mr Taylor said: “When people hear ‘parental conflict’, they often think it’s just screaming and shouting at one another, but we work with the families where they just don't talk to each other, or one parent rolls over for the other and doesn’t stand their ground.
“This can be a very dark place for parents to be in and some have experienced this for years so what we want to do is ensure there is somebody that they can turn to.”
One participant in Dorset said: “I was sceptical about it at first but gave it a go and it turned out to be brilliant. I can’t recommend it enough. It really helped us reconnect and see where the other person was coming from.”
Mr Taylor added: “Unfortunately, there is still a stigma around addressing or admitting to conflict between parents.
“In fact, even when parents are struggling in their relationships and want to reach out for support, they are sometimes scared of what that support is actually going to be.”
But research shows that seven in ten couples will have a decline in their relationship after the birth of their first child and 40% of those relationships will be classed as ‘in distress’ 18 months later.
Cllr. Claire Sutton said: “I would encourage anyone who is experiencing parental conflict challenges to reach out via email or phone through our website to find out more.”