Mediation has a really positive contribution to make when parents need to talk about how children will be cared for after separation.  Parents know their kids better than anyone, what  they are involved in day to day, what support they need.  How can they experience the love of each parent while doing all the things that kids need to do?  And, how can this be achieved within the new personal circumstances of each parent?

There is no doubt, kids do well when they experience the love and care of both their parents.

Jennifer McIntosh is an expert in child development and someone who might have some helpful advice for separating parents.  She was on Radio National on Friday talking to Michael Mackenzie.

Jennifer talks about the impact of parental conflict on children, that kids can do better after separation but it won’t always come easily.

Here is a link to her discussion on the radio http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/rnafternoons/good-divorce/7976152

And, if you want more you might visit her website here  http://childrenbeyonddispute.com/jennifer-mcintosh/

Of course it is important to make plans after thinking about a range of advice and there are other points of view.

There is no credible advice that will justify continual exposure of children to conflict so a really helpful way of using mediation might be to negotiate how to support children to thrive while parents are working out new ways of working together.