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CASE STUDY
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Parenting information programme meaning
Published by a LexisNexis Family expert
What does Parenting information programme mean?
A parenting information programme is an educational course for separated parents used in private law children proceedings to promote safe, child‑focused co‑parenting and reduce conflict. In England and Wales it most commonly refers to the Separated Parents Information Programme (SPIP), delivered by Cafcass‑approved providers, including online variants such as Planning Together for Children.
The term itself is not a statutory definition; rather, the family court may require attendance as a “contact activity” by making an activity direction or by attaching an activity condition to a Child Arrangements Order under the Children Act 1989 (ss 11A–11G, inserted by the Children and Adoption Act 2006). The course is not mediation, therapy or legal advice; it explains the impact of parental behaviour on children, encourages constructive communication and signposts support. Non‑compliance may inform case management and welfare decisions.
In Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, “parenting information programme” is used descriptively rather than for a single defined scheme. Courts may, where appropriate, direct parties to attend parenting education or “parenting apart” sessions delivered by local providers, with differing statutory bases and referral routes.
Programmes can be undertaken voluntarily; where court‑ordered, costs and attendance reporting follow local court/Cafcass or service‑provider arrangements.
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NEWS
Local government weekly—£78bn settlement, outcomes framework, housing and business rates rulings, Procurement Act payment transparency, water/planning reforms, and education and social care updates (12 February 2026)
In this issue: Local government finance Governance Social housing Education Children's social care Adult social care Public procurement Planning Healthcare Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Local government finance MHCLG confirms £78bn final local government finance settlement with fairer funding reforms The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced a £78bn Final Local Government Finance Settlement, alongside a £440m Recovery Grant boost to support the councils facing the greatest pressures, addressing deprivation and enhancing local services. The package offers multi-year certainty and features measures including writing off 90% of historic SEND deficits, a £272m increase for homelessness services, and £39.6m in mayoral capacity funding to protect people at risk of homelessness and improve local outcomes. Using an evidence-led approach, drawing on the latest indices of multiple deprivation, MHCLG says the reforms will direct a fair share to communities most affected by past reductions. See: LNB News 10/02/2026...
12 February
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View the related Practice Notes about Parenting information programme
PRACTICE NOTES
Child Arrangements Programme: procedure for section 8 Children Act 1989 applications—MIAMs, pre-application protocol, allocation and gatekeeping, Child Focused Courts and online systems (England and Wales)
Stop Press: On 31 March 2026, Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, published consolidated guidance on allocation and gatekeeping in children proceedings before the Family Court, to take effect on 5 May 2026. This supplants the 2014 public and private law guidance, creating a single scheme for allocation across all children cases. It codifies the function of gatekeeping teams, maps allocation choices to contemporary procedural routes (including Child Focused Courts), and reaffirms the fundamentals of judicial continuity, proportionality, and the efficient deployment of judicial resources; see News Analysis: Consolidated allocation and gatekeeping guidance for children proceedings issued. This Practice Note is being revised to incorporate the President’s guidance. It sets out how to seek an order under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989)—namely a child arrangements order (CAO), a specific issue order, or a prohibited steps order—and provides direction on the requirement to attend a mediation information and assessment meeting (MIAM)...
21 May
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