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What you need to know about "Divorce and separation"


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Divorce & separation

Divorce or separation means that people who were married or in a relationship choose to end their relationship. There are many reasons why people may choose to end a relationship. Sometimes, those people manage to stay friends or in contact of some kind afterwards, and sometimes they don’t. If they had children together, then things can get more difficult, and the separated couple need to find some way of communicating for their child.

If your parents are separating, then it can be a very emotional and difficult time. It is hard to see people who you love going through such sad times, especially because we often think of our parents being the ones who are strong and look after us – it can make it difficult to then see them struggle so much.

A relationship ending can bring on the same kind of feelings that death can: anger, sadness, grief, and worries about how different things will be now. You may even wonder whether the relationship break-up was your fault and feel guilty. It is totally normal to feel like this, even though it is not your own relationship, it can still strongly impact you. It may be difficult to adjust to new arrangements – which could mean moving home.

Life will change, and change can feel scary, especially if you don’t know what to expect. It may be worth asking for help to deal with those feelings. You could talk to another family member, or a counsellor, or a helpline – whatever you feel most comfortable with and think would help you the most.

Divorce & separation

Caught up in your parents' divorce


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