COUPLES who squabble outside the school gates could be advised to take relationship counselling under a government initiative to stop parents arguing in front of their children.

Social workers, teachers and child health visitors will be told to regard dissent in the household as a sign of poor parenting and to direct argumentative couples to special classes to teach them how to behave.

The government is to offer the relationship classes after studying research which showed that children who come from households where parents regularly fight are less likely to achieve.

The initiative, which will appear in a green paper on relationships to be published shortly, is expected to form part of the election manifesto.

Couples on the verge of splitting up and those who publicly argue will be advised to attend the relationship lessons where they will be taught conflict resolution and how to deal with problems without upsetting their children.

The counselling will be made available to couples from all backgrounds, although those from lower socio-economic groups, who are the focus of parenting classes, are expected to be the main target of the initiative.

Critics are likely to accuse the government of more nanny state tendencies. “There is a very fine balance between offering support in an accessible way and the state interfering. Good relationship support can help but it is important that people do get the support they need,” said Dr Katherine Rake, chief executive of the Family and Parenting Institute. “However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.”

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