The separated parents information programme (SPIP) — what it involves
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-31
What SPIP is
The Separated Parents Information Programme (SPIP) is a short group workshop (usually two sessions, or online) for separated parents in dispute over children. It is not therapy and not mediation — it teaches how separation affects children and how to co-parent across two homes.
Why courts order it
In many children cases the court directs or encourages attendance at a SPIP before contact is decided. The programme:
- Helps parents understand the child's perspective
- Reduces conflict between the parents (which harms children)
- Teaches communication and shared-caring skills
- Signals to the court that you are willing to work constructively
Who attends
- Usually one parent, sometimes both (separately)
- Referred via Cafcass or directed in the court order
- Children do not attend
What it costs
- Free in most cases — funded by the Ministry of Justice via Cafcass when ordered or referred in a Cafcass case
- If self-referring, some providers charge a modest fee (check the provider's page)
What happens in it
- How conflict harms children and the welfare checklist
- How children experience loyalty conflict and feeling caught between parents
- Communicating with the other parent effectively and respectfully
- Building a parenting plan that puts the child first
If you're ordered to attend and refuse
- It looks poor: courts treat non-engagement as a marker of unwillingness to prioritise the child
- Attendance followed by insight ("what I learned") is far more persuasive than refusal
- See our accepting-findings guide — doing the work is the strongest card you hold
Completing it
- You'll get a certificate / completion report the court or Cafcass can see
- Bring it up at the next hearing — evidence of constructive engagement
- Pair it with a parenting plan (see our parenting plans guide) and, where relevant, a SPIP-style attendance record
Official links
- Cafcass parenting programmes: https://www.cafcass.gov.uk/grown-ups/parents-and-carers/
- https://www.gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with Cafcass 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.