A woman has used her own childhood experience of divorce leading to abuse and trauma to support parents that are separating to put their children's needs first.

Claire Field, Social Care Consultant and Author of The Parenting Apart Programme, said: "My parents divorced when I was only two years old and my sister was four. Unfortunately they were unable to sustain a good respectful parent working relationship which led to us not continuing having a loving and close relationship with our Father.

"Our Mother remarried when I was nine years old to my Step-Father who was a horrendous alcoholic, which in turn turned my Mother into a serious drinker.

"My sister and I did not know from one hour, to day-to-day what would be happening through witnessing my Mother and Step-Father arguing, drinking and fighting.

"Unfortunately there was no Social Care/Child Protection in place to protect my sister and I from the most horrendous scenes of violence and abuse.

"We certainly know first-hand and totally appreciate that without the right support for parents the devastating impact family breakdown can have on children today as it did many years ago for my sister and I."

Now Ms Field is piloting her parenting apart programme to 50 Worcestershire parents for free.

She said: “Parents can come together whenever and however they wish, in order to start to communicate and plan all their children’s arrangements.

“Court proceedings can be expensive and traumatic, where a divorce can cost on average around £16,000 and take 18 months. Many people come to us having already spent tens of thousands of pounds and are often not speaking to one another. Sadly, we often deal with situations where a child has even lost contact and their relationship with one of their parents.

“The programme is specifically designed to remind people that they are parents first and foremost and that their battle is having a devastating impact on their children’s emotional and mental wellbeing and development.

"Our challenge is to deal with often warring parents, and a high level of emotion, and support them to feel safe and secure to come together as parents and the lever for that is the voice of the children.

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The four-week programme held in Bromsgrove which involves individual and joint face-to-face sessions, Parent Working Agreements, telephone support and continued advice and guidance. The aim of this intervention is to support parents to formalise an agreement that identifies important issues such as childcare arrangements, residency, holidays, schooling and the child’s wishes and feelings. Unlike mediation the agreement can be filed alongside a Court order to confirm arrangements made by the parents if required.

Those who meet the legal aid criteria are eligible for the programme through the PAP Community Interest Company, which is available until April 30.