As divorce and separation continue to feature in society as a whole, increasingly more children are caught up in the effects of parental separation. In New Zealand, there has been, to date, a lack of research based practice which looks at how to attend to the connection between separation and ongoing distress to family members.

As a result of 25 years of experience of working with court referred parents at the time of separation, Jill Goldson put together her academic knowledge and clinical practice to develop a model which answers a gap in current practice. This gap, highlighted by the parents themselves, is characterised by the lack of access to children’s voices at parental separation.

The Goldson model is developed on strong and current research evidence which suggests that it is not the separation which has the long term impact on child adjustment and mental health, but the ongoing results of exposure to unresolved parental conflict. The risk to children lies less in the divorce or separation and more in the degree and extent of the conflict surrounding the separation.

Parents, understandably, whilst in the midst of their own pain and grief, often find it difficult to adequately comfort their children and the escalating stress of their children can add to that of the parents. In this situation, a child is very likely to develop symptoms of anxiety, depression, or anger. This stress this will present itself in different ways depending on the age of the child and may well play havoc with their psychological development at any age, compromising educational and social milestones. Research indicates that one in four children who are in a sustained conflict situation will go on to develop a formal psychiatric condition.

Using carefully researched theories, Goldson’s model moves quickly and effectively to create a situation where all family members are able to move from crisis to one of proper negotiation and mediation which does not need legal intervention.

Children tell researchers that they want to be consulted and informed during parental separation and this model ensures that they are given a voice from within their families which is proven to increase the adaptation and resilience of both the children and their parents.