Black Country councils to share £90,000 pot to tackle family conflicts
The Black Country councils will share a slice of a £90,000 fund set up to tackle family conflicts and improve children's life chances.
Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton authorities will receive £90,500 to support parents facing continued conflict in their relationships and prevent lasting impact on their children from the national Reducing Parental Conflict programme.
The money has come from a £4 million Government funding pot set up to help 147 councils in England to develop strategies for struggling families. The initiative is designed to tackle the knock-on impact of parental conflict on children’s learning, relationships and future work life.
It will be used in a variety of ways from help couples with counselling to specialist learning aids including videos and dedicated online advice aimed to help parents learn how to recognise, de-escalate and solve conflict.
In Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell and Wolverhampton the councils will work together to kick start training for staff working with families so they can support separated or divorced parents to improve relationships.
The Government said that rows about contact arrangements among other disputes can often leave children feeling upset, worried and anxious and that parents were not always aware of the impact on children.
Early help practitioners will be trained to deliver specialist support to family workers.
Department for Work and Pensions Lords Minister Baroness Stedman-Scott said: “Family dynamics are complicated, and the pandemic will have tested the strongest of couples. That’s why looking after the mental health of the whole family is vital to giving children the best start in life, and I want to ensure that help is available here.
“This money means better support for more families to help ensure prolonged conflict doesn’t negatively impact children or their future.”
The department said studies show that frequent, intense and poorly resolved conflict can negatively impact children’s mental health. From their early social and emotional development to school grades, with lasting impact on their job prospects.
It further stated that the programme was designed to resolve parental conflict and not domestic abuse issues. And that adults in abusive relationships will instead be referred to specialist support.
