About the course
Read about the course structure, content and expected outcomes.
- Protect children against some of the harmful effects of parental conflict
- Gives more time for engagement and reflection by participants
- Better measures the impact of the course and so helps with refining it over time
- Aims to reduce the time families spend in court proceedings
- Aims to reduce the number of families returning to court
Stage 1
This module is all about understanding how your situation make affect your children and offer practical tips to support better communication and more positive relationships. Along the way, you'll fill in surveys to check in on how you are feeling.
Stage 2
This part of the course is delivered online in small groups. You will learn about the negative impact of parental conflict on children, and how best to manage this conflict. You will start to create a parenting plan, if appropriate.
The course is delivered 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 module, and you can save and return if you need to take a break.
The course is available in English, Polish and Urdu.
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.
The Planning Together course runs for six weeks. Each session lasts for about [GAP: Need the exact duration of each session - e.g., 2.5 hours]. We expect you to complete all 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 help families earlier in the court process. It's recommended that you complete it as soon as you are referred. Doing so will be helpful for you when you next go to court, as you can show you have completed it. If you haven't, the court may simply order you to complete it then.
Yes, you can still attend a session. Your Family Court Advisor (FCA) 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 call us on [GAP: Insert Families Together main contact number here] 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 can suggest options like attending in the evening, during school or nursery hours, or if family members or your co-parent can care for your children. Please call us on [GAP: Insert Families Together main contact number here] so we can talk through other options if these don't work for you.
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.
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 sessions 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'll be in a group with other parents who are facing similar challenges. We create a safe and supportive space.I have experienced domestic abuse (DV) or coercive control.
CAFCASS understands that not every part of the course might feel like it's directly about your 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.
CAFCASS understands that not every part of the course might feel like it's directly about your 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.
You will receive your certificate when you log into your Planning Together CAFCASS portal. It should be available 24-48 hours after you complete the course.
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.
The parenting 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 parenting 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.