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Equal Parenting & Child Voice UK: Family Separation & Children's Experiences

Before taking part

This questionnaire is about experiences and views concerning children, parental separation and family life.

Please do not include names, addresses, contact details, identifying information, confidential court information or details of ongoing cases.

Please do not identify individual children, parents, judges, magistrates, social workers or other professionals.

The questionnaire is intended to identify broader patterns and views to help inform discussion about family policy. It is not asking anyone to decide whether a person was guilty or innocent of an allegation.

Responses will be considered in anonymised, aggregated form for the Equal Parenting & Child Voice UK campaign.

Section 1: Family circumstances

Following parental separation, how would you describe the child or children’s relationship with each parent?

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

How would you describe the amount of time the child or children spent with each parent?

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

Section 2: Factors affecting relationships

If a child’s relationship with one parent became limited or was lost, which factors contributed? Select all that apply.

If there were disagreements about parenting arrangements, how would you describe the level of conflict?

A
B
C
D
E
F

Section 3: Child wellbeing

Following parental separation, did the child or children experience a significant change in emotional wellbeing?

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

Did the child or children experience significant changes in behaviour or day-to-day functioning following separation?

At any point after parental separation, did the child or children experience difficulties involving alcohol, drugs, smoking or other harmful coping behaviours?

A
B
C
D
E

Section 4: Child voice

Was the child’s own view about parenting arrangements and relationships with each parent properly considered, taking account of their age and understanding?

A
B
C
D
E
F

Should children have greater opportunity to express their views about parenting arrangements, taking account of age and understanding?

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

Section 5: Family justice and support

Were family court proceedings involved in the circumstances you are describing?

A
B
C
D

If family court proceedings were involved, how would you describe the overall length and difficulty of the process?

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

Did the length or process of proceedings affect the child’s relationship with either parent?

A
B
C
D
E

Section 6: Policy and possible reform

Where two parents are safe, capable and willing to care for their child, should family law place greater emphasis on maintaining a meaningful and substantial relationship with both parents?

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

Should there be clear exceptions to this principle where maintaining contact would not be in the child’s best interests because of safeguarding or other welfare concerns?

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

What, if anything, should change about how children and parents are supported following separation?

Is there anything else you would like to contribute about children, parental separation, child voice or family law reform?