Supporting mothers and fathers together in the transition to parenthood: The One Plus One Approach Penny Mansfield, Director Clare Negreira, Training and Resources Manager One Plus One

“ The government shares the belief of the majority of people that stability in the parents’ couple relationship is the best foundation for raising children.” Margaret Hodge Minister for Children, Young People and Families “Parenting is not only the most important but often the sole protective social factor in a very young child’s life.” “A caring partner who shares the responsibilities and joys of raising children, and who is there for advice and support when problems arise, is the most potent protective factor a parent can have.” Prof Mavis Hetherington

Married 60% Cohabiting 25% Not living with partner 15% No relationship with dad 4% ‘Closely involved’ with dad 7% ‘Just friends’ 2% Separated/Divorced 1%  The relationship between a child’s parents at birth The Millennium Cohort Study  The relationship between a child’s parents affects: The quality of relationships within the family Family stability The effectiveness of parenting Father’s involvement with the child The child’s physical and mental health, academic achievement, social and economic well-being

The transition to parenthood - a critical time to offer support to mothers and fathers  The most difficult transition for couples Relationship satisfaction declines Levels of conflict increase Post-natal depression Division of labour becomes more traditional Pressures of combining work and childcare  Founding phase of family life - especially for “fragile families”  Perinatal period important for emotional, cognitive and behavioural development  A “magic moment” for intervention – especially for fathers

So – how can we help?  Supporting frontline workers to respond to ‘magic moments’  Brief Encounters – interventions that can really help Listen without becoming overwhelmed Offer effective support Encourage parents to seek their own solutions Manage time skilfully within the working day  Tried, tested, trusted – training and resources, trialled and evaluated

Where to now? Impact of parental conflict on children – training and resources Dedicated website for practitioners to share good practice access up to date information download training tools

“You listen up and hear what types of problems they are having, and before you didn’t” Health visitor “I’m much more aware of signals – more importantly I have the confidence to tackle them” Health visitor “I thought we’d never get through this….she offered to sit with me and Mark and talk things through” Mother from Bexley