Family Relationships Toolkit: Resources and Support Services

Webinars

Supporting Separated Families: Practical Tools for Frontline Practice

Family separation is a common and predictable life event for many families, yet practitioners are often navigating complex parental conflict, safeguarding concerns, and system pressures without clear, consistent tools. This webinar will equip practitioners with practical frameworks, toolkits, and clear signposting to support families experiencing separation. It will explore what helps, what can hinder, and how to work confidently and safely with parents and children at different stages of separation.

Delivered by Carlie Norris (Chair of Family Solutions Group) and Nav Mirza (Family Services Foundation).

National Guidance and Policy Resources

Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies: guidance for local authorities (April 2026 – March 2029)
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-guidance-for-local-authorities
Strategic and operational guidance for local authorities delivering Family Hubs and integrated family support services.

Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies: wider service expectations
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/best-start-family-hubs-and-healthy-babies-guidance-for-local-authorities
Guidance outlining wider expectations relating to family support, partnerships and system development.

National Centre for Family Hubs Toolkit

https://www.local.gov.uk/national-centre-family-hubs/toolkit
National tools, guidance, case studies and implementation resources for Family Hubs.

Research and Evidence

Foundations (formerly Early Intervention Foundation)

What Works to Enhance Inter-Parental Relationships and Improve Outcomes for Children
https://foundations.org.uk
Evidence review exploring the impact of parental relationships and conflict on child outcomes.

Foundations for Life
https://foundations.org.uk
Research on early relationships, attachment, responsive caregiving and child development.

Family Hubs Planning Framework
https://foundations.org.uk
Planning framework supporting local authorities to implement evidence-informed Family Hub systems.

Reducing Parental Conflict

Department for Work and Pensions – Reducing Parental Conflict Programme
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/reducing-parental-conflict-resources-and-tools
National programme guidance, practitioner resources and evidence summaries.

UK Research and Innovation – Reducing Arguments at Home
https://www.ukri.org
Research exploring the impact of conflict on children and family wellbeing.

Early Years and Parent-Infant Relationships

Parent-Infant Foundation

https://parentinfantfoundation.org.uk
National guidance and evidence on infant mental health and parent-infant relationships.

Anna Freud Centre

https://www.annafreud.org
Resources on child mental health, attachment and early intervention.

NSPCC – Attachment and Child Development

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk
Research and safeguarding resources on attachment, relationships and child wellbeing.

Parenting and Relationship Support Services

Family Lives

https://www.familylives.org.uk
National family support charity providing parenting advice, helpline support and practitioner resources.

Relate

https://www.relate.org.uk
Relationship support services including counselling, mediation and support for separated couples and families.

OnePlusOne

https://www.oneplusone.org.uk
Relationship support organisation providing digital and evidence-based interventions for couples and co-parents.

Gingerbread

https://www.gingerbread.org.uk
Support and advice for single-parent families.

Family Rights Group

https://frg.org.uk
Advice and advocacy for families involved with children’s services.

Support for Separated and Separating Families

Cafcass
https://www.cafcass.gov.uk
Guidance and resources supporting children and families through separation and family court processes.

National Family Mediation
https://www.nfm.org.uk
Information and access to family mediation services.

Sorting Out Separation
https://helpwithchildarrangements.service.justice.gov.uk
Government-backed support and guidance for separating parents.

OnlyMums and OnlyDads
https://www.onlymums.org
https://www.onlydads.org
Peer support, information and guidance for separated parents.

Domestic Abuse and Safe Practice

SafeLives

https://safelives.org.uk
Resources and training relating to domestic abuse and safeguarding.

Women’s Aid

https://www.womensaid.org.uk
Support and information for women affected by domestic abuse.

Respect

https://www.respect.uk.net
Practice guidance and behaviour change programmes relating to domestic abuse perpetrators and safe family practice.

NICE Guidance – Domestic Abuse

https://www.nice.org.uk
National guidance supporting safe assessment and intervention.

Workforce Development and Practice Resources

Research in Practice

https://www.researchinpractice.org.uk
Practice tools, learning resources and evidence reviews for children’s services professionals.

Local Government Association

https://www.local.gov.uk
Sector-led improvement resources and Family Hub support materials.

Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS)

https://adcs.org.uk
Leadership and sector guidance for children’s services.

The Centre for Emotional Health

https://www.centreforemotionalhealth.org.uk
Training and programmes supporting emotional wellbeing and relational practice.

Parenting Programmes and Interventions

Examples of evidence-informed programmes used within Family Hubs and early help systems include:

Triple P – Positive Parenting Programme
https://www.triplep.uk.net
Incredible Years
https://www.incredibleyears.com
Solihull Approach
https://solihullapproachparenting.com
Strengthening Families Strengthening Communities
https://www.sfscprogramme.co.uk
EPEC (Empowering Parents Empowering Communities)
https://www.epec.org.uk

Local areas should ensure interventions are commissioned in line with local need, safeguarding arrangements and evidence of effectiveness. See DfE checklist for further guidance.

Father, Non-birthing Partner and Co Parent Engagement

Fatherhood Institute

https://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org
Research and resources promoting father inclusion and co-parent engagement.

DadPad

https://thedadpad.co.uk
Support resources for fathers during pregnancy and early parenting.

Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing

YoungMinds

https://www.youngminds.org.uk
Mental health information and support for children, young people and parents.

Mind

https://www.mind.org.uk
Mental health advice and support services.

NHS Every Mind Matters

https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters
National wellbeing resources and self-help tools.

Relationship Support for Families

Family Solutions Group
https://www.familysolutionsgroup.co.uk/

Provides leadership, research and practical resources to support professionals working with families experiencing separation and conflict. Their work focuses on improving the family justice and support system, with a strong emphasis on reducing harm to children through better co-parenting, earlier intervention and more coordinated services.

Includes webinars, guidance and tools to support frontline practitioners across Family Hubs and early help services.

Family Services Foundation (FSF)
https://thefsf.org/

A community-driven organisation supporting children and families experiencing separation, parental conflict or parental incarceration. The Family Services Foundation focuses on providing early, trauma-informed and practical support to help families navigate challenging transitions, reduce conflict and improve emotional wellbeing.

Their work combines professional expertise with lived experience, offering guidance, co‑parenting support and resources for both families and practitioners. A strong emphasis is placed on keeping children’s needs and experiences at the centre of all support.

Family Harmony Toolkit – Coram

https://www.coram.org.uk

Practical toolkit supporting practitioners and families to:

improve family communication
reduce relationship stress
strengthen emotional wellbeing
support healthier family dynamics

Useful within Family Hub, early help and parenting support pathways.

Parents and Carers in Conflict or Separating – Anna Freud

https://www.annafreud.org

Resources and guidance supporting:

separated families
co-parenting relationships
child emotional wellbeing
reducing the impact of parental conflict on children

Evidence-informed and appropriate for practitioners and families.

Helping Your Child Cope with Separation and Divorce – Surrey County Council

https://www.surreycc.gov.uk

Accessible guidance for parents supporting children through:

family separation
divorce
emotional transitions
changes to family routines and relationships

Useful as part of local Family Hub online offers and parenting support resources.

From Conflict to Connection Resources – Brighter Futures for Children

https://brighterfuturesforchildren.org

Resources focused on:

healthy communication
relational approaches
reducing family conflict
supporting stronger parent-child relationships

Can support workforce development and direct work with families.

Getting on Better Cards – Relationship Self-Help Tool (Brighton & Hove)
https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/family-help-online/relationship-support-families/getting-better-cards-relationship-self-help

A simple, practical self-help resource designed to support parents and couples to reflect on their relationship, improve communication and manage conflict. The cards can be used independently by families or as a guided tool within practitioner-led conversations to explore relationship dynamics in a structured and accessible way.

Particularly useful within Family Hubs and early help services to support low-level conversations, promote reflection and introduce relationship support in a non-stigmatising way.

Rochdale Borough Council – Reducing Family Conflict Approach
https://www.rochdale.gov.uk/childcare-children/reducing-family-conflict

An example of a local authority-wide approach to reducing parental conflict, combining early intervention, workforce development and community-based support. Rochdale has developed a coordinated strategy including a local “relationship manifesto”, a network of trained Relationship Champions across Family Hubs and community services, and dedicated training such as “How to Argue Better”.

This model demonstrates how Family Hubs and wider partners can embed relational practice at scale, with over 600 frontline staff trained to support families and promote healthy relationships. It highlights the value of a whole-system approach, including work with schools, youth services and community organisations to improve outcomes for children and families.