Wiltshire County Council is working on a new programme aimed at tackling parental conflict.

Figures out on Friday (March 23) reveal that 11 per cent of children live with parents reporting relationship distress.

The programme will aim to equip services to identify parental conflict, to offer appropriate support and ensure parents can access proven help with their relationship.

Family support professionals will help parents to reduce conflict through individual, couple and group counselling, building on existing parenting support already available in local areas.

Wiltshire are one of seven partners working alongside Dorset County Council (DCC) after DCC was announced as one of four authorities leading the new initiative.

Department for Work and Pensions will identify new methods for reducing parental conflict, whether the parents are together or separated.

They will then make evidence gathered from this work available to all local authorities, so they can develop their own strategies.

Kit Malthouse, Minister for Family Support, Child Maintenance and Housing, said:

“We know that sometimes families can have disagreements, but it’s better for everyone if conflict can be resolved in a calm and healthy manner – especially when children are involved.

“It’s not just domestic violence that can be damaging to children but also frequent, intense and poorly resolved conflict between parents which can impact their mental health.

“Through the Reducing Parental Conflict Programme, we want to equip local services to identify parental conflict, to offer appropriate support and ensure parents can access proven help with their relationship.

“As a former councillor I know how important it is to partner with local authorities to understand more about what works and the support families need.”