Teenagers whose parents have split up will be able to help younger children through the process on a newly launched website.
Kids In The Middle was created because its founders said there was not enough readily accessible advice for children experiencing family breakdown.
The website will offer videos which explain the various stages of divorce to children. It will also explain what some legal terms mean. The site targets children between the ages of 11 and 18.
Teenagers helped to raise £41,000 to get the website launched but say more is needed in order to expand. They have also received funds from family lawyers concerned about their clients’ children.
Duncan Fisher, former chief executive of the Fatherhood Institute, helped get the site up and running. He said that children “can feel very isolated if their parents are splitting up”, because “they can’t get away from the problem”.
He added that the core message of the website was simple: “This is not your fault, you are not alone and it is OK to look for help.”
Some prospective backers were uncomfortable about supporting the site, as they thought helping children through a divorce is a parent’s responsibility. Despite this unease, Fisher said the website would be useful for parents as it would help explain the child’s experience of family breakdown.
