A lobby of children’s experts and charities accuses the Government today of failing to protect young people from the “emotional fallout” of divorce and separation.

They say that the entire focus of the Government and the courts has been on sorting out the practical arrangements after relationships break down, with numerous rules in place covering contact, residency and maintenance.

In contrast, there is nothing in place to help children, often stuck between warring parents, to come to terms with their new life.

This is despite all the evidence showing that conflict between parents can severely damage young people’s emotional stability.

In a letter to The Times that has also been sent to Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister-in-waiting, the experts call for a ministerial group to spearhead a new approach for separating families that helps children to come to terms with family break-up.

It has been signed by Chris Pond, the chief executive of One Parent Families, and Duncan Fisher, the head of Fathers Direct, and is supported by Parentline Plus, Relate and a host of child psychiatrists and academics. “Evidence shows children benefit emotionally, psychologically and financially postseparation . . . where there is a positive relationship with both parents, and are harmed by violence, abuse and conflict in their family,” it says.

“However, parents currently lack access to comprehensive support aimed at helping them to resolve difficulties and prevent harm or abuse during or after their split. This must change. Early and comprehensive child-centred support and guidance to parents when they separate will provide benefits felt by children today and by the families they raise in the future.”

Various government departments deal with relationship break-up and there have been several initiatives to reduce conflict in recent years.

The Ministry of Justice has piloted schemes to help parents to remain civil to one another if rows over finance and access reach court. The Department for Work and Pensions is also working on new advice for parents to reach voluntary agreements over maintenance when the Child Support Agency is abolished. But experts believe that there needs to be a push from the centre.

Janet Allbeson, policy adviser at One Parent Families, said that unless the conflict were addressed, the practical arrangements often fail anyway. She said: “There is often such ill-will and hurt feelings after a break-up that parents lose sight of their children. The Government has now acknowledged that children can suffer long-term damage from warring parents, so we are asking for the Government to address it in a coherent way.”

Splitting up across the country

— Divorces granted in UK fell by 7 per cent between 2004 and 2005

— The highest number was 180,018, in 1993

— In 2005 there were 141,750 divorces in England and Wales; Scotland (10,940); and Northern Ireland (2,362)

Source: Times database

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