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8 MAY 2009
Putting Children First: best practice in Europe
Welcome...
Divorce and family separation is an issuethat affects all countries in Europe. It is anissue that policy makers are attempting tomore fully understand in order to improveoutcomes for the children affected.The Centre for Separated Families (UK) isdelighted tobe hosting the first meeting of the Putting Children First European Forumwhich brings together colleagues working inthe field of support to separated familiesfrom all over Europe to share best practice.The idea of the Forum is to enablecolleagues who are working directly withfamilies to contribute to an increased andimproved understanding of what reallyworks in supporting separated families toput their children's needs first. From thisshared knowledge and expertise,recommendations will be drawn together to inform policy development in eachmember country.There are currently representatives fromeight countries, all of whom are working inways that promote children's well being -one of the major principles of the PuttingChildren First Forum. The Forum will reporton developments regularly over the comingyear and aims to hold a conference inStockholm in late 2009 at which the firstfindings from the Forum will be presented.The Putting Children First European Forumwelcomes members from anywhere inEurope who are working towards better outcomes for children through holisticsupport to separating families.
Karen WoodallDirectorThe Centre for Separated Families (UK)
Agenda
8 May 2009Prague, Czech RepublicNational reports fromdelegatesFormation of a EuropeanNetworkFundingStockholm conference -Autumn 2009Association of Family andConciliation CourtsAny other business
 
Contributing organisations and projects
Rainbows (Austria)
RAINBOWS works to support children and teenagers as they deal with separation or loss, helpingthem to avoid the serious long-term effects which can result from the psychological strain of suchexperiences. RAINBOWS provides assistance for affected children and adults so that they canlearn to cope with their grief and accept new family situations.Evaluation of staff reports and the feedback we receive from parents (on feedback forms) confirmthe effectiveness of the support offered by RAINBOWS. Further support includes holiday camps,seminars for parents, courses, workshopsRAINBOWS is a non profit organisation founded in 1991. Our work is aimed at children andteenagers aged 4 to 17 years and parents and carers of affected children and teenagers
Udruga Dijete razvod (Croatia)
The Association Child-Divorce is a national non-government non-profit organisation (established inFebruary 2008) that is mostly oriented to obtaining information resources for all involved partiesin order to help them make decisions directed to bringing about better outcomes for children.Our services are available to parents who are caring for their children alone, those who aresharing care and those who have no contact with their children, and anyone else with concernsabout family separation, including lawyers, judges, social care center workers (psychologists,social workers, jurists), concerned government bodies (Children’s State Advocate, Ombudsman,State Gender Equality Office)We believe that best parent is both parents, regardless of whether children live with both parentsor with one of them. We want to help children to have ongoing relationships with both of their parents. Parents not only need help to achieve this, they need the infrastructure which facilitatesthis. Infrastructure would include gender aware, accessible, empathic and empowering social carecenters’ workers and judicial system and their workers’ competence. We believe that gender biases have to be overcome at all levels, legislation has to be changed, court procedures have tobe shorter and more efficient, and Court Orders have to be more precise. The Association deliversinformation and advice by telephone, email and through its website.The Association has published a free brochure with a template of the parenting plan, advicecollected from experts, and addresses of all relevant bodies involved in decisions about children of divorcing and divorced parents, which has been distributed to all social care centers and can alsobe downloaded from our web page.
Children of Europe (Czech Republic)
Divorce is considered to be a deep crisis for all: the children and the parents, with terribledisadvantages, consequences and results. But we can avoid many of these by improving therelationship between parents after divorce.With increasing frequency in divorce and thoughts of equality between the sexes, came aquestion, "is mother becoming the prime carer for the child the best solution following divorce?"The established order with the mother as the obvious and natural custodial person, is sometimes sostrong that it cannot be broken. Still, there is evidence demonstrating an alternative for solving thesituation. Joint custody and shared parenting show up as a new alternative to the established pattern.This after divorce concept can be more or less considered the most convenient. It ensures thecontinuation of family life for the child. It ensures the children having two parents, although theylive in separate places. It ensures that one parent is not unfairly burdened with responsibility for the child’s upbringing, and that both mother and father are responsibleOur basic idea is that we must do everything necessary for the best interest of the child becausewe believe that the best parents is both parents.
 
One Family (Republic of Ireland)
One Family is a leading national organisation for one-parent families in Ireland. Progressingthe work of Cherish, We work with all types and all members of one-parent families,respecting the realities of family life in Ireland, to affect positive change and achieve equalityand social inclusion for all one-parent families in Ireland.We aim to provide high-quality, much-needed services to the many different one-parentfamilies in Ireland and the professionals working with them. We also work hard to ensure thatone-parent families have a clear voice that is heard by policy and decision-makers.
Kies voor het kind (Netherlands)
SELECT is a Dutch program. The interventions in the SELECT program are aimed at promotingthe skills and confidence of children and parents in the situation where they are affected bydivorce.The Province of North Brabant made it possible for the program to be available toprofessionals. At the end of 2008 started a major new study, by the University with supportfrom ZonMw, on the effects of SELECT with the aim of inclusion in the database andimplementation of SELECT for all children of separation where necessary.SELECT is clarification of information on divorce; clarification of the different perspectivesunderstand yourself and others; strength of children and parents; strengthens behaviour indealing with changes brought about by the separation, conflict, transformation, dealing withproblems and resolving difficult situations; less use of coercive and negative discipline inrelation to the various parties, ex-partners, parents and children, ex-partners of ex newrelationships, children with family members from a compound; better communication betweenall parties on the separation and responsibilities on parents and parenting issues betweenparents and between parents and child, and less parenting stress.These results are achieved through the creation of peer contact for children and a supportivelearning environment for parents in parent meetings and information. In SELECT, children cantalk about their own experiences with the separation of their parents and all the changes anddifficulties they have experienced. Children can best help and find answers within the peer group and self learning how to respond and help in their own environment. Parents willreceive information and tips on divorce and education and practical information on skills theycan apply in their daily live.
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 Austria
Rainbows
www.rainbows.at
Croatia
Udruga Dijete razvod
www.udruga-dijete-razvod.bloger.hr 
Czech Republic
Children of Europe
www.childrenofeurope.cz
Republic of Ireland
One Family
www.onefamily.ie
Netherlands
Kies voor het kind
www.kiesinfo.com
Norway 
Samlivssenteret
www.samlivssenteret.no
Sweden
Barn i svåravårdnadsstrider 
www.stockholm.se
United Kingdom
The Centre for Separated Families
www.separatedfamilies.org.uk
United Kingdom
 Jewish Unity for MultipleParenting
www.jump-parenting.org.uk
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