What can Scotland learn from professionals, legislators and family courts in other countries?
Shared Parenting Scotland held an innovative series of webinars in autumn 2022 drawing together initiatives from other countries that could help separating parents in Scotland to resolve disputes and find it easier to share the care of their children.
Around the world jurisdictions are trying to find a way of reducing the distress to children of family break up while recognising the changing environment of children’s rights and evolving gender equality in mainstream parenting.
Current slow, expensive and emotionally draining adversarial court systems aren’t working for children or parents – what will work better?
There is general agreement that early support to parents with dispute resolution and communication will help resolve many disputes before they escalate and help parents to make useful parenting agreements. But how can parents be helped to put the long term interests of the children first when they themselves may be struggling with the immediate issues of the separation itself?
The webinar series is intended for parents and for professionals working in family law, dispute resolution and family/parenting support.
Contributors took part from Sweden, the USA, England, Canada, Israel and the Netherlands. Each talk was followed by a response from a Scottish practitioner and questions.
Click on the links below to learn more about the webinars.
Webinar 1 – England and Wales: Changing Court Processes – Recording and transcript now available
Webinar 2 – Sweden – Benefits of shared parenting for children and young people – Recording now available
Webinar 3 – The Netherlands – Online systems to help separating parents reach agreement – Recording now available
Webinar 4 – Canada – Parenting Coordinators support parents to resolve disputes and avoid court – Recording now available
Webinar 5 – California, USA – Training separated parents to reach agreement and avoid court action – Recording now available
Webinar 6 – Israel – Family Court Social Services: An Integral Part of the Israeli Court System – Transcript now available
Shared Parenting Scotland is grateful to Harper Macleod LLP for support towards this series of webinars.