Support your child through separation today
Online training course for separated parents, including one-to-one coaching sessions to practice new skills
Angry break ups risk hurting your child's brain.
Is that what you want?
New Ways For Families teaches
four key behavioural skills
Managing Emotions
- Controlling anger, sadness, fear, and anxiety so as to not over-react
- Protecting children from a parent's extreme emotions
Flexible Thinking
- Acknowledging there being more than one solution to a problem
- Turning complaints into proposals for future behaviour & agreements
- Avoiding extreme actions, language and parenting requests
- Responding to hostile communications in a way that avoids conflict
Checking Yourself
- Reminding yourself to use these skills in times of stress
- Developing empathy, attention, and respect
Moderating Behaviour
It doesn't matter who's right or wrong; if you can't control your emotions you risk hurting your child
Is that what you want?
what parents & coaches say
I really wish I did the New Ways for Families course before commencing the court process. However , better late than never. Thanks for your help getting me on this course.
– Parent on the NWFF Pilot, 2022
It was great to be able to go at my own pace. I really appreciated being able to work around weekends and childcare arrangements.
– Parent on the NWFF Pilot, 2022
This pilot has been extremely helpful in helping me find different ways of parenting separately and avoiding conflict with my ex-partner.
– Parent on the NWFF Pilot, 2022
The course material is varied and presented in a comprehensive way, including numerous formats such as videos, role-playing scenarios, journal and reflective exercises, and quizzes
– Coach Feedback on the NWFF Pilot
Who runs the training?
New Ways For Families® is provided and organised by the charity Shared Parenting Scotland, operating under licence from the High Conflict Institute.
Following our very successful pilot in Scotland in 2022 we are now running this programme throughout the United Kingdom with our team of UK coaches.
For some other sources of support for separating parents see this link
SPS Training Staff
Claire Ross
Training & Funding Development Manager
Claire Ross has worked for Shared Parenting Scotland for two years as their Training and Funding Development Manager.
She has a background in family mediation, counselling, education, community engagement and Development, with Diploma in Person Centred Counselling, Core Psychotherapy and Family Mediation.
Working for a range of organisations as a senior manager: Citizens Advice Scotland,The Cairngorms National Park Authority and Community Service Volunteers(CSV) and as a free-lance counsellor/counselling supervisor. Having managed the pilot phase of the New Ways For Families® project she is currently a New Ways For Families® coach and co-ordinates the New Ways For Families coaching team
David Maclean
Training Manager
David has worked for Shared Parenting Scotland for a year as their Training Manager.
David has a background in Business Development, Strategic Planning and Training Development and Delivery working across the Private, Public and Third sectors.
He oversees our Love, Loss and Living training programmes.
Our Coaches
Brittany Thomas
Senior Solicitor, Family Law
Brittany Thomas has practised in family law since the beginning of her career, having completed a specialised traineeship in the field. She has a breadth of experience in all aspects of family law, including financial provision on divorce and separation, contact and residence disputes and cohabitation. She is both warm and approachable and this helps clients feel at ease.
She is diligent and practical in her approach to cases and can always be relied upon to reduce the stress and uncertainty that many clients feel in going through a difficult process that comes with a great deal of family cases.
Michael Harkness
Cognitive Behavioural Therapist
Michael Harkness is an experienced educator having worked in Schools and Universities across Asia. He is a registered Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, with experience working with people with severe mental health issues and those experiencing crisis.
Michael is married and has a son, he and his wife have had martial issues including separation but now live together quite happily in the UK.
Heather Boyle BSc, MSc, MBACP
Psychotherapist
Heather is a qualified Psychotherapist, and registered member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists. (MBACP).
She is trained in Person-Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and High-Conflict Resolutions. She has worked for the NHS, Police Scotland and 3rd sector Mental Health Charities. She also runs her own private practice and further information can be found at her website
Fiona Mundy
Consultant, Johnson Legal
Fiona is is a consultant at Johnson Legal and a Solicitor Advocate. She is a WS, an Accredited Family Specialist and is qualified to act as a Family Law Arbitrator.
She is listed in Chambers as an expert in Family Law. Fiona was a partner in four different firms of solicitors before joining Johnson Legal Family Law as a Consultant and has experience of family cases with a cross border element, including child abduction cases.
Julie Gracie
Leadership & Improvement Specialist
Julie is a Leadership & Improvement Specialist at the Scottish Social Services Council and is responsible for social work and social care workforce development focusing on leadership and wellbeing. Julie is passionate about integration and whole systems thinking, facilitating collaborative cross sector working, underpinned by healthy working cultures and good self-care.
Julie’s background is in national health organisations (NHS 24 and NHS Education for Scotland) and includes leading on ‘Leadership for Integration’ workstream, coaching for ‘Coaching for Wellbeing’ and co-designing and facilitating the delivery of sessions supporting the wellbeing of social services leaders and managers.
Tuk-Chee Phung
Counsellor
Tuck-Chee Phung was born in Malaysia and educated in three continents - in Malaysia, U.S.A. and U.K. with a BA in Humanities/Fine Arts, MA and PhD in History of Art. He has lived in Scotland for the past 45 years and worked as a social worker and in social work education for 30 years. He is also a person-centred counsellor and counselling supervisor for over 20 years.
While his work is creative and integrative of the many skills and experiences he has as a qualified social worker, counsellor, counselling supervisor and coach, he is essentially person-centred in his approach.
Watch the videos below to find out more
Alastair Williamson
New Ways For Families Trainee
Siobhian Brown MSP
Scottish Government Minister remarks on NWFF
Claire Ross
New Ways For Families Coach
Bill Eddy
High Conflict Institute Chief Innovation Officer
More Info
More Info
Your children need you to learn how to separate as well as possible: do you think they're coping? Or are they looking after you?
Why New Ways For Families?
Receive a recognised certification from the High Conflict Institute
The course has 12 interactive modules with three one-to-one coaching sessions. - it should take you 12-15 hours at your own pace
Save money in the long-term by avoiding costly legal fees
The course costs £295 with subsidised rates and 3-part instalment plans available
Learn key life skills transferable to all aspects of your life
Receive one-to-one professional coaching to support your learning journey
the twelve modules
UNIT ONE - Coping With Stress By Managing Your Emotions (Coaching Session One)
UNIT TWO - Solving Co-Parenting Problems Through Flexible Thinking
UNIT THREE - Avoiding Over-Reacting By Using Moderate Behaviours
UNIT FOUR - Checking Yourself (Coaching Session Two)
UNIT FIVE - Extreme Behaviours And The Effect On The Child’s Brain
UNIT SIX - Raising Healthy Children By Making Joint Decisions
UNIT SEVEN - Child Development Goals And Milestones
UNIT EIGHT - Parenting Skills Standards And Plans
UNIT NINE - Using Professionals
UNIT TEN - New Partners, New Families
UNIT ELEVEN - Handling Financial Issues
UNIT TWELVE - How To Avoid Becoming A “High Conflict” Case (Coaching Session Three)
The course features information, videos and role play, as well as a personal journal where learners can document their journey. It provides a skills-based, “no blame, no shame” online educational program for parents in divorce or separation who could benefit from learning new communication, emotion management, and problem-solving skills.
New Ways For Families is not mediation. Even if both parents sign up they will be allocated a different coach. It’s not legal advice. The training promotes greater levels of respect, empathy and attention from its learners. The primary goal is to teach parents the skills necessary to effectively resolve co-parenting disagreements while remaining calm and protecting their children from the conflict. The course may be voluntary, recommended, or mandated by courts or other professionals.
Give your child the support they deserve today.
Learn the skills of managing your emotions, flexible thinking, improving communication, reducing conflict, and moderating your behaviour, that will help you avoid conflict for the sake of your child.