On 1st June 2020, schools opened their doors again to children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6. Nursery schools have also been allowed to welcome children back as lock-down rules are eased. The decision to send children back to school has weighed heavily on many parents’ minds – it is worth the risk to your family’s health?
For some separated parents, this decision may be a real source of friction. If you cannot agree, what can you do?
No parent can be blamed for having doubts over sending their child back to school during the Covid-19 pandemic when social distancing and hygiene rules are hard to maintain and risks are ever present. There are also, however, risks to the well-being and mental health of children if they remain at home. The question is what ultimately tips the balance?
Faced with varying guidance and recommendations from numerous sources, it is inevitable that separated parents may have different opinions about the best way forward. An understanding and acknowledgement on the part of both parents of each other’s concerns is extremely important during this time.
At Family Law in Partnership we offer Parenting After Parting workshops (currently taking place virtually online) to help parents to place their children’s needs at the heart of their decision making process during family breakdown. We have teamed up with experts from The Parent Practice in running our Parenting After Parting workshops. Issues causing friction between parents during this difficult time and be discussed. Our next course is taking place in July. For more information on the course and to book on, visit here.
You might find further help and guidance in the recent podcast by Elizabeth Fletcher, a Director at FLiP who specalises in managing arrangements for children both in and out of the court arena. Elizabeth recently recorded the podcast with The Parent Practice on how best to parent during lockdown. Click here to listen to the podcast.
At Family Law in Partnership we have been providing support and help to many clients during lockdown. We can facilitate discussions through mediation, managed remotely. We understand however that it is not always possible to reach an agreement and our experienced legal team are also able to advise you and talk you through your options. Please call us on 020 7420 5000 or email hello@flip.co.uk to see how we can help you.