SPIP & DVPP — the parenting and perpetrator programmes courts order
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-28
SPIP — Separated Parents Information Programme
A short education programme (usually two group sessions or online modules) for separated parents in dispute over children. It is not therapy and not mediation — it teaches how separation affects children and how to parent cooperatively across two homes.
- Courts often order or direct attendance where contact is disputed and conflict is the main problem
- Usually one parent attends (sometimes both, separately)
- Free — funded by the Ministry of Justice via Cafcass (in Cafcass cases)
- Completing (or refusing) is reported back to the court — refusal looks bad; completion often unlocks contact progress
- Referral is typically via Cafcass; ask your Family Court Adviser or the court
DVPP — Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programme
For parents who have been abusive (violence, coercive control), a DVPP (formerly DVPP/ respect-accredited programmes) is a long programme (often 24+ weeks) aimed at changing behaviour, running alongside safety work with the adult and child survivors.
- Courts sometimes direct them where a parent wants contact and the risk can be managed
- They do not guarantee contact — the question remains whether the programme makes safe contact possible
- Quality mark: look for Respect-accredited services; Cafcass and local authorities refer
- Partner-support services (e.g. via Women's Aid/Refuge) run alongside so survivors are protected and heard during the programme
How these fit your family court case
- If you are offered a SPIP: take it. It's free, it's evidence of cooperation, and it directly addresses what judges worry about in high-conflict cases
- If you are directed to a DVPP: engage genuinely — partial attendance helps nobody, and completion reports go to the court
- If the other parent refuses programmes: note it factually for the court (but focus on your own evidence — the court prefers what you did over what they didn't)
Official links
- Cafcass parenting programmes: https://www.cafcass.gov.uk/grown-ups/parents-and-carers/
- Respect (accredited DVPPs): https://respect.org.uk
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with Cafcass, Respect or gov.uk.
Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.