Teachers to step in to protect pupils’ mental health if parents ‘argue occasionally’ as additional £11m funding announced for Reducing Parental Conflict program
- Teachers will be trained to spot signs of ‘parental conflict’ and step in to intervene
- This could mean meeting the parents or being directed to couples therapy.
- The move comes over fears the disputes could harm children’s mental health.
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
Teachers are being trained to intervene when parents argue too much, fearing it could harm children’s mental health.
They will be told how to spot signs of ‘parental conflict’ and ‘intervene to support parents’ to ‘make sure children don’t suffer’.
This might mean meeting the parents of a troubled child and talking about problems they may be encountering at home. Parents can be directed to relationship counseling if needed.
Teachers will be told how to spot signs of ‘parental conflict’ and ‘intervene to support parents’ to ‘make sure children don’t suffer’ (stock photo used)
Teachers are being trained to intervene when parents argue too much for fear it could harm children’s mental health (file photo used)
Others who work closely with families in sectors such as policing, health and social care will also receive training from councils in England.
It comes with the announcement of an additional £11m today for the Reducing Parental Conflict (RPC) programme, backed by Baroness Stedman-Scott, Minister in the Department for Work and Pensions.
She said: “Casual arguments and bickering may seem harmless, but when this type of conflict is continually aggressive and left unaddressed, it can cause real unhappiness and damage a child’s life chances.”
“That’s why we’re investing millions to help parents recognize and address potentially damaging conflict so more children can grow up in happier homes.”
The ‘tailored relationship support’ scheme was launched in 2018, with £47m already allocated. The new cash will help the work continue and enable ‘innovative new projects’.
According to the DWP website, RPC is “targeted for conflicts below the domestic abuse threshold.”
He says that examples of such conflict may include ‘aggression, silence, disrespect, emotional control, lack of resolve’.
The announcement comes alongside a “state of the nation” report from the Department of Education on children’s mental health.
It found that while most children have a good relationship with their parents, those who don’t are more likely to have a mental health problem.
.
