Originalarbeiten / Original Articles. Informations- und Unterstützungsbedarfe von Trennungseltern / Information and Support Needs of Separated Parents.

Abstract

Information and Support Needs of Separated Parents When parents separate, they have to overcome considerable emotional and organizational challenges, which can be unsettling and might raise many questions. An increased need for support can be assumed, especially in the case of ongoing conflicts or intimate partner violence. An online survey was carried out to investigate the specific questions that parents have following relationship dissolution and the extent to which parents affected by conflict and violence have specific (information) needs. 255 mothers and 104 fathers who had separated from the other parent in the last 5 years took part in the study. Of the participants, 51 % had completed or ongoing family court proceedings, 69 % reported ongoing conflict and 49 % reported partner violence. Overall, parents most frequently had questions about legal regulations, finding a care arrangement for their children, cooperating with the other parent, supporting their children in the separation process and adapting to the new living situation. Parents with ongoing conflicts were more often concerned with questions about how to deal with strong negative feelings, mistrust and the desire for distance. Parents who had been affected by intimate partner violence were more likely to have questions on ensuring safety for themselves and their children and dealing with the children's stress responses. The findings were taken into account in the development of the STARK online information platform and can be used to develop further needs-based support services.