Membership Spotlight highlights the work of our member organisations and outline how other individuals and NGOs can support them. We are shining the light on Shared Parenting Scotland highlighting a new chapter for Shared Parenting Scotland championing the rights of the child.

Shared Parenting Scotland is Scotland’s leading charity dedicated to supporting families through separation by advocating for shared parenting arrangements that prioritise the rights and well-being of children. With more than a third of children in Scottish schools having parents who live apart, we work to ensure they can maintain strong, loving relationships with both parents.

As we move into a new chapter, we welcome Kevin Kane as our new Chief Executive. Kevin, an active member of Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights), brings extensive experience in policy, research, and advocacy for children and families, having previously led policy and research at YouthLink Scotland and held key roles at Victim Support Scotland and Play Scotland. His leadership marks an exciting period of growth and renewed commitment to embedding children’s rights in shared parenting policies and practices.

Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) membership is great for expressing views and contributing to the promotion and protection of human rights in Scotland. The group’s advocacy, training and resources on children’s rights keep people and organisations informed and engaged and provide great networking opportunities.  

Being a member of Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) means organisations like Shared Parenting Scotland can actively participate in advancing children’s rights and benefit from connecting with a supportive community dedicated to this cause.

Shared Parenting and the UNCRC

Shared Parenting Scotland’s mission aligns closely with the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), now incorporated into Scots law. Key Articles that underpin the organisation’s work include:

Article 3: The best interests of the child must be a primary consideration in all decisions affecting them. We advocate for shared parenting arrangements that focus on emotional security, stability, and well-being.

Article 9: Children have the right to maintain direct contact with both parents unless contrary to their best interests. We challenge barriers that prevent meaningful parent-child relationships post-separation.

Article 12: Children have the right to express their views and have them taken seriously. We promote approaches that respect children’s voices but without imposing the intolerable burden of chosing one parent over the other.

Article 18: Both parents share responsibility for their child’s upbringing, with governments providing necessary support. We champion policies and frameworks that encourage co-parenting and reduce conflict.

The way forward

Shared Parenting Scotland is committed to:

• Raising Awareness: Educating policymakers, professionals, and the public on the benefits of shared parenting.
• Empowering Families: Providing practical support, guidance, and advocacy to help families navigate separation with a focus on children’s rights.
• Influencing Change: Working with partners to shape policies that remove legal, financial, and cultural barriers to shared parenting.

A Call to Action

Shared parenting is more than an arrangement it’s a child’s right. As Scotland implements UNCRC, we must ensure shared parenting is recognised as a fundamental component of children’s rights. We invite all stakeholders to join us in making this vision a reality.

To learn more, visit: https://www.sharedparenting.scot/

Kevin can be contacted on kk@sharedparenting.scot

Ends

Editor’s Notes

THE 2025 GLASGOW KILTWALK IS ON SUNDAY 27 APRIL

If you’d like to join our team, please contact us by email : kiltwalk@sharedparenting.scot for more information.

 Alternatively, please consider sponsoring one of our team by making a donation by visiting our JustGiving page. Please keep an eye on our website, Facebook, BlueSky and Instagram pages for more updates as we get closer to the event.

LOVE, LOSS AND LIVING: MANAGING THE EMOTIONS OF BEING SEPARATED FROM YOUR CHILD – NEW COURSE START DATES

We are running this course again online. This is an interactive, 6-week online course with additional in-person training sessions to help you understand and manage the grief of being separated from your child(ren).

You can get more information from David MacLean, email : dm@sharedparenting.scot  and from our website at “Love, Loss & Living: Managing the Emotions of Being Separated From Your Child”

NEW WAYS FOR FAMILIES® TRAINING WITH REVISED PRICES

Following the completion of our pilot programme, Shared Parenting Scotland is now making this training and coaching programme for separated parents available in Scotland.

This comprises 10 online modules with three one-to-one coaching at the beginning, middle and end of the course.  The training provides parenting skills intended to reduce the impact of conflict on your children, reduce your stress levels and bring back some calm to your potentially high-conflict divorce or separation.

Please contact David Maclean at dm@sharedparenting.scot for more details or see “New Ways For Families” website page.

 WHATSAPP PEER SUPPORT GROUPS

Shared Parenting Scotland have been successfully using WhatsApp in West, Central, East & North of Scotland to offer additional peer-based support to parents, grandparents and new partners outside of our Monday to Friday opening hours and the various monthly Support Groups.

WhatsApp allows you to chat with others in a similar position to you, using your smartphone or tablet. It’s a place to share your experience, your parenting tips, to ask questions, to seek answers and share advice.

If you are interested in joining one of our WhatsApp groups, please send an email with your mobile telephone number to aw@sharedparenting.scot 

Our staff are working as normal, so if you need to talk to us about issues you are facing, please ring 0131 557 2440 from Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm, or email : info@sharedparenting.scot

Get Involved with Together

Sign-Up and Become a Member (Individual, Supporter or Organisations)

Would you like to find out further information about joining Together’s membership?

Are you a Together organisational member and would like to collaborate for a Membership Spotlight? Email: caitlin@togetherscotland.org.uk

UNCRC Training

• Together has just launched an exciting new online training workshop on taking a Children’s Human Rights Approach.

State of Children’s Rights Report 2024

• Read our recently published report which 220 babies, children and young people share their stories.
• What did you think of our report? We want to your thoughts and views! Fill out our full survey. Fill out our child-friendly survey.

Donate To Us Today!

Donate to Together and help us to promote children’s rights in Scotland and improve the lives of all babies, children and young people.