About the course
Read about the course structure, content and expected outcomes.
CAFCASS understands that not every part of the course might feel like it is relatable to your individual situation. However, they ask you to take the parts of it that you feel will support you. The course aims to empower you to focus on your child's needs in a safe way.
- Protect children against some of the harmful effects of parental conflict
- Aims to reduce the time families spend in court proceedings
- Aims to reduce the number of families returning to court
The course is split into two stages: Stage1 is completed independently via online eLearning, whilst Stage 2 is completed online in a group environment with up to 7 other parents and a Facilitator.
It will help you to understand how your situation may be affecting your child and offer practical tips to support better communication and more positive child-centred relationships.
Stage 1 (eLearning)
This stage requires you to complete 8 modules of eLearning including: Understanding and managing my emotions and feelings better, putting myself in my children’s shoes and how can I listen and communicate better to help my child.
Stage 2 (Groupwork)
This stage is delivered online in small groups of up to 7 parents (including yourself). You will learn about the negative impact of parental conflict on children, and how to best manage this conflict, focusing on communication, behaviour, feelings so begin finding solutions for your child together.
You will also be introduced to Our Child’s Plan and how this tool could work for you.
The eLearning is completed online using an eLearning platform. Therefore, you will need access to an internet enabled device in order to access the course material. The learning is broken into modules, and you can save and return if you need to take a break. eLearning is available in English, Polish and Urdu.
The Groupwork Part of the course is delivered online either via Teams or Zoom, depending on which provider is supporting you to complete, therefore an internet enabled device with access to a mic and camera are essential.
All parts of this course can be offered into other languages if that is required.
Once the court or your Family Court Advisor has made the referral- you will hear from a provider who will provide the course for you. The course is exactly the same regardless of which provider you work with.
You will be contacted by one of the providers below, if you are unsure please contact Action for Children on the number above.
- Child Action North West 01204 369130
- Family Action 020 7241 7456
- Hull & East Yorkshire Counselling (HEY) 01482 329621
- Relationships Coventry and Warwickshire 024 76 225 863
- Relationship Services London 0300 0032324
- YMCA 01782 222389
- Action For Children 01923 963031
If you don't start or complete the course, CAFCASS and the court will be informed. This might be considered in any future court decisions about your case. We want to help you succeed, and you will be given every chance to complete the course, with our support.
No, your co-parent will attend on a different day and time than you. We cannot tell you if they have completed the course, and they won't know if you have either, unless this information is shared at court. This helps create a safe space for everyone to learn.
You have 5 weeks to complete both parts of the course.
You will need to complete stage 1 before booking stage 2.
Completion of Stage 1- eLearning -can vary for each person, but on average take 1.5hours.
Stage 2 is completed online and the workshop runs for up to 2.5 hours, with a 10-minute break.
We expect you to complete both stages as soon as possible. If there are delays or invites are missed, your case may be sent back to CAFCASS.
This programme is designed to support families before their next court hearing. Completing it early shows the court that you are engaging positively and taking steps to move things forward. It can help inform decisions and may reduce delays later on.
Waiting until the court orders it could mean a longer process and missed opportunities to show your progress. That’s why we recommend completing it as soon as you’re referred.
Yes, you can still attend a session. Your Family Court Advisor (FCA) or Court will have looked at your situation and decided the programme is suitable for you. If you are still worried about attending, please contact your FCA or CAFCASS to discuss your concerns further. We want to ensure you feel safe and supported.
We understand this can make you feel uncomfortable. Please contact your provider and we can talk about how we can support you. If you are already in a session and feel you can't continue for this reason, please leave and contact us by phone or email as soon as possible to let us know.
We understand that life is busy, therefore we offer a range of times for you to complete the Stage 2 section of the course.
We offer evenings, weekends and school/nursery hours.
You could ask a family member, friend or the co-parent to care for your child whilst you complete the course.
If you continue to find it difficult to arrange a suitable time, please call us on: 01923 963031 so that we can talk through other options.
Please call us on and we can talk about ways to support you, especially if you're feeling anxious. We want you to feel comfortable and able to take part.
Grandparents can attend together! You can book your session online or call the team on for help with booking.
You can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. Some parents prefer to listen rather than speak a lot. You will be in a group with other parents who may be facing similar challenges.
We start our facilitated session by setting our ground rules/expectations which allow us to create a safe and supportive space. All our facilitators are well trained and will help guide you through the learning.
You will receive your certificate when you log into your Planning Together for Children CAFCASS portal. It should be available to you between 24-48 hours after you complete the stage 2 workshop.
You will only receive certificate when both stages are completed.
You can log into your account using the email address you used at the start of the course to check your status and see if you have completed it before.
Our Child's Plan is a helpful tool to start talking about arrangements for your children with your co-parent. It can also be shown to the court to prove you are trying to work together for your children's needs. Even if your co-parent doesn't join in, starting the plan shows you are putting your child first.
You can send the plan by post. You can also give it to your Family Court Advisor (FCA) or ask the court to share it with your co-parent for you, especially if you don't want to share your personal email. Using a co-parenting app might also be an option for communication.
The course teaches you new ways to communicate about your children. You will not be forced to talk directly to your co-parent during the sessions, as you will be in separate groups. The focus is on your skills and understanding.