17th Mar 2020

Coronavirus and its impact on family lives and decision making

By Jo Harrison

One of the challenges parents face after separation and divorce is a need to work together, usually more than they ever had to even when they were in a relationship. Who is going to be doing what? When and where are they going to be doing it? These are all questions that come up throughout the week for all parents, but when they are living apart, these questions require a different level of communication.

Something I have noticed in the last few weeks is how coronavirus is “upping the ante” in this respect for separated parents. The anxieties and uncertainties it creates are placing an added pressure on separated parents to think together about what might be best for their children.

Questions such as “where would the children be if they were required to self-isolate, and which parent they would be with,” need thinking about. Potential school closures throw up questions about who is going to do the childcare. People are now huddling into their families and eliminating social contact, but for a divorced parent who is feeling lonely and isolated already this might exacerbate these feelings, particularly if the children are with the other parent.

There are also worries about “how my co-parent is dealing with the situation” – ranging from ideas that perhaps the other parent is too anxious about the situation, or perhaps isn’t taking it seriously enough.

These questions of daily life which have only recently come to the fore can feel much harder to manage in a situation where there are difficulties already about co-parenting, perhaps where there are unresolved feelings about the end of a relationship, or where communication feels hard. This is compounded by a situation that can already feel full of uncertainty and anxiety about the future, particularly where legal proceedings or negotiations are still going on.

At FLiP we work with our clients to deal with the worries and concerns that they may have and try to find outcomes that support the children’s well-being on a divorce, both in the legal and emotional spheres. In this current uncharted situation, this becomes even more relevant.

If you need the advice from one of our top family lawyers, or if you would like to speak to our in-house counsellor, Jo Harrison, please contact us on 020 7420 5000 or by email: hello@flip.co.uk.