Penelope Leach webchat: Join discussion about her latest book: Family Breakdown: Helping children hang on to both parents

[RachelMumsnet]

Penelope Leach is a research psychologist, and one of the world’s leading experts in child development. The author of numerous books on childcare, including the classic manual Your Baby and Child, she is herself a mother of two, and grandmother of six.

Penelope's latest book, Family Breakdown: Helping Children Hang On To Both Their Parents, has been described as "obligatory reading for anyone even contemplating the ending of a relationship where children are involved". The book, which looks at divorce and separation from the child’s point-of-view, is aimed at parents who have separated or divorced or intend to do so, as well as their extended families and prospective partners, and the professionals who support and advise them. Above all, the book is written to help those parents help their children.

Join Penelope for a webchat on Friday 27th June between midday and 1pm. If you're unable to make it then, do post a question for Penelope in advance on this thread.

Some of those Father's groups are very active with stuff like that aren't they Tanith?
Wikipedia is vulnerable to that sort of hijacking unfortunately

It's a big concern of mine ATM how the divorce system is set up to make it more likely that separations will be acrimonious and even bitter.
The way legal teams will fight the other side for best financial outcome forgetting the needs and well-being of the children, which actually may be each of the parents greatest real concern if the system were more supportive of such things.

Also hate that one partner needs to give a reason for divorcing founded on blame. You cannot just say that the relationship isn't working for you both (except after living separately for several years?)
If man wants to divorce because he's found another woman and is initiating the divorce he and his solicitor need to come up with a blamey justification for why the woman has shown un-reasonable behaviour.
(Hope I have those details right, but am pretty sure that's the gist of it, and very problematic it is too)

I'd like to join a campaign group looking at improving all of this. Does anyone know if there is one?

Yes, support for divorcing couples is def needed. Families have too much vested interest to be give unbiased support, solicitors have a financial interest in not solving things quickly (though not saying they do that), a heartbroken parent is not likely to be able to dispassionately decide anything.

Some best outcome 'rules' should be made so everyone knows what is expected of them from the start.

And counseling offered to DCs.

I didn't take part in this webchat because I don't have DC but there have been some excellent points raised by AskBasil , Juggling Dozie and others.