Families who face multiple and complex needs may require support to develop positive and supportive relationships within the family. The long-term benefit of positive parenting and attachment, and the impact that family conflict can have on children in the family is significant. Conflict in relationships is expressed through many different behaviours which can have an impact on families’ lives. When conflict is between parents, it can have negative effects on their children’s mental health and wider development.
Some level of arguing and conflict between parents is often a normal part of everyday life. However, there is strong evidence to show how inter-parental conflict that is frequent, intense and poorly resolved can have a significant negative impact on children’s mental health and long-term life chances.
Where parental conflict is being addressed by DWP’s Reducing Parental Conflict programme, it is that which is below the threshold of domestic abuse. Where domestic abuse is present there will be an imbalance of power and/or control and one parent may feel fearful of the other.
Recognition is also given to the impact of violence or abuse inflicted by children towards other members of the family, and the impact of unmet needs for young carers.
This section recognises the impact of family relationships upon the child and considers different ways in which the family can be supported to build better relationships.
Professionals working with families in conflict will be well aware of the challenges that come with supporting families. It is essential to keep the child in mind, ensuring that we are working to reduce the impact of conflict on children, and to ensure that we are promoting and protecting the child’s relationships with their parents.
Greater Manchester have produced a toolkit to support you in your everyday practise - with the hope that relationship enquiry will become a natural part of your work. Whatever your professional role in supporting people, there will be something in this toolkit that you will find helps someone else to think about the quality of their couple relationship. Quality relationships are a right not a privilege. Our relationships are one of the most important aspects of our lives, yet we often forget just how crucial our connections with other people are for our happiness. To access the tool kit contact the Healthy Relationship coordinator Karen Cheetham.
There are a number of resources and organisations that can support children and families with improved family relationships and parenting:
There are a number of organisations that can support children and families with “improved family relationships and parenting”: