Parental Relationships

If you are concerned that a child is being abused, or to request support, you can:

Complete the request for support online form

If it’s an emergency call 999

Happy Families, Happy Futures Devon

As part of the Happy Families, Happy Futures agenda, Devon County Council are offering 2 FREE virtual or face-to-face ‘Reducing Parental Conflict’ Programmes (‘Family Transitions Triple P’ and ‘Within My Reach’) to support parents improve the quality of their interparental relationship.

The programmes help develop positive communications, manage emotions, and create a better environment for children to thrive.

Family Transitions Triple P

Advice and guidance to support co-parenting and to deflect the pressure of divorce or separation away from children.

Within My Reach

Provides advice and guidance for couples who are together, to help with the integration of new skills within their relationship.

To refer onto a programme, please complete this online Devon Happy Families Happy Futures Referral Form

Consent Information

Parental Conflict

Parental conflict is unhealthy relations below the threshold of domestic abuse. Conflict is a normal part of a healthy relationship, however, when conflict is frequent, intense, and poorly resolved it can have a detrimental impact. There is strong evidence to suggest that conflict between parents has an impact on children’s self-esteem, mental and physical health, behaviour, academic achievements, relationships as well as other long-term life-chances.

Healthy parental relationships have fluid and constructive communication. This promotes effective joint parenting whether couples are together or separated. Conflict in relationships can occur in all types of families such as biological parents, stepparents, foster and adoptive parents, grandparents and separated and divorced parents.

It is evident that most parents do not want to intentionally harm their children, but their own life experiences and their lived experiences influences the way they communicate. This is highlighted in the following video Life is like a Jar of Marbles.mp4 – Google Drive

Causes of parental conflict and links to support

For more information please contact the Parental Relationship Co-ordinator, Lorraine Rowlands, on 07890 959675 or email lorraine.rowlands@devon.gov.uk

Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse, also called “domestic violence” or “intimate partner violence”, can be defined as a pattern of behaviour in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviours that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure, or wound someone. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. It can occur within a range of relationships including couples who are married, living together or dating. Domestic violence affects people of all socio-economic backgrounds and education levels.