How to support your children through difficult times
Many of you who have picked up this article, are either going through, contemplating separation or know someone who is. Many clients we see at our office are often worried about the impact separation will, or already has had, on their children. I hope this article written by and for the Australian Psychological Society will ease some of your concerns and give you the necessary skills to help your children navigate through this challenging time.
Separation and divorce impact on children
Separation and divorce are common phenomena in the community today, but still represent a major life stressors for those involved. According to Australian Bureau of Statistic’s records in 2014, 47% of all separations involve children, so knowing how to facilitate children’s adjustment is crucial.
These figures are likely to be even higher when you consider the numbers of children in Australia born to people who are not actually married (cohabiting).
A Literature Review prepared for The Australian Psychological Society by Susie Burke, Jennifer McIntosh and Heather Gridley (July 2009 Parenting after Separation Copyright ©) reports that children of divorced parents are still at twice the risk of problems as the non-separated community.
Topics covered in this article:
- Did I make the right decision?
- Children’s adjustment following separation
- Children’s possible reactions following separation
- Psychological and social impact of the separation
- The impact of divorce according to developmental age
- Factors affecting children’s adjustment to divorce
- The impact of loyalty conflicts
- The impact of parental conflict on the parenting role
- Protective factors that facilitate children’s adjustment to divorce
- Effective co-parenting or parallel parenting
Email us for the full copy of this booklet.
