Child Counselling for Children with Separated Parents
According to the Combat Poverty Report, The Irish Census of 2006 recorded 189,213 lone parent families in Ireland. A lone parent is defined as someone raising a child on their own, whether they are a single parent, separated, divorced or widowed.
- 86% of all lone parents are women
- 18% of all families in Ireland are lone parent families
- 46% increase in number of lone parent families, since 2002 Census
Studies in New Zealand and United States are focusing on the ongoing suffering children experience when exposed to conflict between parents during separation / divorce.
- Such conflict is shown to seriously compromise a child’s mental health (Kelly 2000, Prior and Rodgers 2001)
- Therefore, it appears that it isn’t the fact that separation or divorce that causes ongoing stress for children, but in the level and extent of the conflict surrounding the separation / divorce (Cummings and Davies 2002; Kelly 2000)
- When parents separate, it is best for the children if the parting is amicable
- Many children question their own contribution to the break-up of the relationship
- If conflict continues after the separation children often question, what was the real reason they separated?
- (Report from Ceifin Centre, Burren Co Clare)
Children’s well being largely depends on the following
- The quality of relationships within the family
- The level of self esteem of each parent
- How parents support their children
- The degree to which conflict is resolved when it arises (between parents, parents and children, regarding house/schoolwork/choice of friends etc)
- Couple conflict hinders children’s self worth and security
- Problems in children are most likely to arise from intact conflictual couple relationships and broken but conflictual couple relationships
- Children who come from homes where they witness frequent conflict between parents often make poor progress at school
For more information on Child Counselling telephone (065) 6841009 or email info@cioc.ie. Child Counselling is funded by the Family Support Agency
