Episode #57: Divorce and separation from the child's perspective

The Divorce Podcast

In this episode, Kate was joined by Dr Angharad Rudkin a clinical psychologist with over 20 years experience of working with children and families to discuss divorce and separation from the perspective of children.
Angharad is also an expert for the Metro's relationship column, offers training and consultation for family lawyers and worked as a lecturer on the Clinical Psychology doctorate at the University of Southampton for 12 years. Angharad was consulting editor for ‘101 Questions Answered about Separating with Children’ and has recently published a book for children on how to cope with their parent’s divorce, The Split Survival Kit, written with children’s author Ruth Fitzgerald. Angharad is also passionate about communicating her work and believes key messages around child and family wellbeing should not be limited to the clinic room or the classroom.
In the episode, Kate and Angharad explored how children of different ages and genders deal with divorce and separation and the delayed impact this can have in their later life. Angharad explained the idea of ‘re-grieving’ and the benefits revisiting a separation can have for children, even years later. They also looked at the different types of conflict and how in all its forms this can have a significant impact on children. They discussed the importance of including the other parent in your child’s life, even if they are no longer physically present. Finally, Angharad set out some useful tips on effective ways to tell your children that you’re separating, why parents often experience ‘guilt’ after they separate and what society should be doing in the future to redress the stigma that exists around parental separation.
Click on the link to find out more about Angharad's new book 'The Split Survival Kit: 10 Steps For Coping With Your Parents' Separation'.