Parenting & Emotional support

Books for Parents

Parenting Apart by Christina McGhee (ISBN 0425232123). Available from Amazon.
This comprehensive and empowering guide from acclaimed expert Christina McGhee offers practical and effective ways to minimize the impact of separation on your children and to strengthen the bond between you.

Co-Parenting 101: Helping Your Children Thrive after Divorce by Deesha Philyaw and Michael Thomas (ISBN: 1608824632). Available from Amazon.
Co-Parenting 101 is based on the premise that co-parenting is a must, not an option. The involvement of both parents – not just the primary guardian – is the cornerstone of successful co-parenting. This is the first book written by a formerly married couple for whom co-parenting is central to their day to day lives, and it offers a comprehensive, personal, and upfront look at how to effectively raise kids with an ex-spouse. 

Pocket guide for parents who live apart ‘what most children say’
Available from Kent Family Mediation Service
www.kentfms.co.uk
01795 429689

How to talk so kids will listen & listen so kids will talk by Elaine Mazlish and Adele Faber (ISBN 1848123094). Available from Amazon.
Although this book does not directly focus on the consequences of divorce, it aims to provide new, innovative techniques to solve problems with children and consequently make parent/child relationships less stressful and more fulfilling.

Helping children cope with divorce by Rosemary Wells (ISBN 078795554X). Available from Amazon.
Voted one of the 10 Best Parenting Books by Child Magazine, this post-divorce parenting guide offers good advice about practical and emotional problems to help you minimize stress and explain divorce so that children don’t feel responsible.

The Truth About Children and Divorce: Dealing with the Emotions So You and Your Children Can Thrive by Robert E. Emery Ph.D. (ISBN 0452287162). Available from Amazon.
Drawing upon his 25 years of experience as researcher, therapist and mediator, Robert Emery offers parents a new means of navigating divorce including how to manage the potentially toxic feelings resulting from divorce, dealing with daily tasks, talking to children, creating a mutual workable parenting schedule and dealing with legal issues.

Mom’s House, Dad’s House: Making Two Homes for Your Child by Isolina Ricci (ISBN 0684830787). Available from Amazon.
This groundbreaking guide, considered a classic by professionals, deals with the legal, emotional and financial realities of creating two happy and stable homes for children in the often difficult, unsettling and confusing aftermath of divorce.

Putting your Children First – a guide for separating parents by CAFCASS (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) Free downloadable version available at http://www.cafcass.gov.uk/leaflets-resources/leaflets-for-adults.aspx

Putting Children First: A handbook for Separated Parents by Karen and Nick Woodall (ISBN 1608824632). Available from Amazon.
Putting Children First helps mothers and fathers unlock and resolve the conflict around contact with children that can arise during and after separation by highlighting strategies that enable parents to communicate effectively regarding their children. 

Books for Children

Jack by Helen Bishop
A book for young children involved in family breakups. Jack speaks to his friend Black Cat who is able to talk Jack through his concerns and worries, and provide him with some practical advice on how to make life a little easier, which makes Jack feel more confident and reassured.
For more information please visit www.jackandblackcat.com Available from Amazon and Waterstones.

Two homes by Claire Masurel (ISBN 0744589258). Available from Amazon.
This portrayal of the life of a child whose parents are divorced is for very young children, to reassure them that the affection and warmth between them and their parents has not altered despite their parents living apart.

Dinosaur’s divorce by Marc Brown and Laurie Krasny Brown. Available from Amazon.

Was it the chocolate pudding: A story for little kids about divorce by Sandra Levins and Bryan Langdo

Divorce helpbook for kids by Cynthia Macgregor. Available from Amazon.

Suitcase kid by Jacqueline Wilson. Available from Amazon.

Mom’s house, Dad’s house for kids by Isolina Ricci. Available from Amazon.

Face-to-face help

Counselling

Relate
www.relate.org.uk
Relate offers relationship advice and information for separated or separating parents helping you to deal with the effects of separation on your family and how to minimize the impact it has on your children.
National office: 0845 456 1310
Lincolnshire office: 01522 524520

Marilyn Merry (Relate Lincolnshire Centre Manager)
Email: marilynmerry@btconnect.com
Tel: 01522 524520

Denise Pickup
www.relationshipwork.co.uk
Tel: 01522 518689
Denise offers relationship counseling for separated and divorced couples to enable them to establish new patterns of communication if contact is to be maintained, for example because a child is involved. She also offers Mentalization training for particularly conflicted or unresolved parenting issues.

Sue Daniels
Jigsaw Counselling & Consultancy Services
www.traumaresources.co.uk
Tel: 01507 608020
Jigsaw offers counselling for clients in their every day struggles to get through difficult times, such as bereavement, grief and loss, rape, sexual, domestic violence and abuse, personal, criminal injury and assault. Also offering provision of psychological support attendance at workplace accidents, critical incidents, court service, event coverage and standby.