Shared Parenting Scotland: Policy and Public Affairs Roundup for November 2025

Policy and Public Affairs – Roundup for November 2025

As part of our commitment to ensuring children’s wellbeing remain the foundation of family law and post-separation support in Scotland, Shared Parenting Scotland continues to engage actively with policymakers, practitioners, and partners across the country. November has been a month of significant outreach, representation, and collaboration – reflecting our mission to improve the lived experience of children and families navigating separation and shared care.

We presented to the annual Family Law Association Conference (21/11/25) on our work with separated parents and grandparents, focusing on the need to centre the welfare of children at the heart of everything we do. We explored partnership opportunities through growing engagement between Shared Parenting Scotland and legal firms and the role New Ways for Families training can play for families and solicitors.

We were grateful to join the expert panel for the recent (19/11/26) Dad’s survey launch driven by Fathers Network Scotland, alongside panellists from Centre for Innovation in Fatherhood and Family Research (CFFR), Public Health Scotland and Flexible Working Scotland. Findings from the survey revealed the raw connection between a father’s wellbeing and connectedness with their children, and suicidal ideation being higher across almost all categories when a relationship with their children is limited. Full coverage of the event can be found here.

The Cross Party Group on Shared Parenting in the Scottish Parliament took place on 11/11/24 featuring inputs from Dr Sarah Foley of Edinburgh University, a sneak preview of the Dad’s Survey Launch and a presentation by Shared Parenting Scotland on the ramifications of Lady Tait’s Opinion in a recent Court of Session adoption case. Lady Tait allowed the adoption of an eight-year-old child by a couple who had separated two years earlier. This was the first case in Scotland where adoptive parents who were no longer living together were still recognised as a “relevant couple” under the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007. The Opinion spelled out that a child can be equally parented from two homes. Some local authority policies still struggle with that concept.

We were pleased to join (10/11/24) a panel of experts and HR professionals as part of a linked in live hosted by Orla Donoghue from Solas Coaching for a discussion on Supporting Single Parents At Work and the need to take account of different formulations of family – noting that more than one third of children on the current school roll in Scotland live across two homes. The political language and policy actions required therefore need to take account of this lived reality.

In the same month, we hosted group meetings in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and online with solicitors from a range of firms present at them all – supporting mothers, fathers, and grandparents through separation and maintaining and renewing contact with their children. We ran four drop-in sessions at Men Matter in Drumchapel, as part of our ongoing partnership with the group.

We were part of a group of stakeholders who met with the Minister for Victims and Community Safety, Siobhian Brown MSP, to press for clarity on the Scottish Government’s commitment to implementing the overhaul of the Child Welfare Reporter system that was included in the Children (Scotland) Act 2020. We presented statistics that more than 6,000 Child Welfare Reports have been completed under a system that the Parliament voted to change 5 years ago.

We attended the launch (24/11/25) of the Association for Male Health and Wellbeing in London. The event was an opportunity to network with partners across the UK around supporting men’s wellbeing and identifying the strong connection between fathers’ positive wellbeing and meaningful contact with their children.

We presented (11/11/2025) to a group of GP Practice Managers and admin staff in Fife about the issues that arise in their work regarding inclusion of both parents in information about the health or medical conditions of their children. 

Along with Both Parents Matter (formerly Families Need Fathers) we had a joint meeting (26/11/25) with Baroness Sherlock, Minister of State in the DWP with responsibility for Child Maintenance Service. It was an opportunity to present the issues with CMS that arise from our casework and press for them to be addressed in the current review of CMS that will lead to a new Bill in the Westminster Parliament next year.

There has been significant engagement on veterans and our role in supporting serving and former military personnel taking place across the month, including:

Attendance at the The Scottish Poppy Appeal Reception (29/10 /25) hosted by Scottish Parliament Speaker Alison Johnstone MSP. Participation in the UK Gov Remembrance Reception (05/11/25) hosted by Kirsty McNeill MP at Queen Elizabeth House, Edinburgh. HMP Addiewell Remembrance Service (06/11/25), attended by Prison inmates, staff including VICSO (Veterans in Custody Support Officer), and prison Chaplain. HMP Edinburgh Remembrance Service (07/11/25), attended by Prison inmates, staff including VICSO (Veterans in Custody Support Officer), and prison Chaplain. Lothians Veterans Centre – Drop-In Surgery (11/11/25) supporting veterans with separation and issues around custody of contact with their children. We joined HMP Edinburgh – Veterans and Families Support Event (21/11/25), HMP Edinburgh Visitor Centre – first gathering of its kind at HMP Edinburgh – attended by partners SACRO Veterans Mentoring Service, Prison Chaplaincy, Barnardos and HMP Edinburgh VICSO (Veterans in Custody Support Officer). Midlothian Armed Forces Covenant Group Meeting (25/11/25).

More information and blogs on the above can found on our dedicated veterans page here. 

This November roundup highlights the breadth of our policy and public affairs engagement, strengthening our voice in the Scottish Parliament, shaping discussions across the legal and health sectors, deepening partnership with research and advocacy organisations, and supporting parents and veterans through direct engagement.

Our focus remains clear: promoting shared parenting as a rights-respecting approach that benefits most children.

We will have a presence at the International Council on Shared Parenting conference in Lisbon Portugal (3-6 December) The theme of the 7th annual conference is Shared Parenting in Practice: Challenges and Opportunities. Lawyers, judges, academics and campaigners from jurisdictions around the world will present the latest research and insights. We look forward to taking this work forward internationally, contributing to global learning and bringing insights back to Scotland.

Shared Parenting Scotland has negotiated a 50% discount for anyone who wants to follow the conference livestream. For details contact kk@sharedparenting.scot.

 

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