Parenting Coaching & Mentoring
Supporting Parents Through Separation with Compassion, Clarity and Care
Our Parenting Coaching & Mentoring programme is designed to guide parents through the complex and emotional journey of separation, with a strong focus on the wellbeing of their children.
We provide personalised, non-judgmental support that empowers parents to navigate separation with confidence and clarity. Whether you’re at the beginning of the process or already facing challenges, our mentoring offers:
- Child-focused guidance to help parents understand how separation affects their children and how to minimise emotional harm
- Emotional and mental health support to manage stress, trauma, and the personal impact of family breakdown
- Conflict resolution strategies to reduce tension and promote calm, cooperative communication
- Practical tools and skills to help de-escalate difficult situations and avoid behaviours that worsen conflict
- Clear, accessible information about the court process and how to approach it constructively
- Advice on avoiding high-conflict scenarios, with a focus on early intervention and safe co-parenting
- Post-separation parenting support to help rebuild structure, connection, and trust within the family
Our goal is to prevent long-term harm, reduce court involvement, and equip parents with the tools they need to create a stable, nurturing environment for their children.
This service is about more than just managing separation — it’s about building a healthier future for families, one step at a time.
Triple P Family Transitions
Helping Parents Navigate Separation with Strength, Confidence, and Care
Triple P Family Transitions is a five-session course designed to support parents going through separation or divorce. It provides practical tools, emotional guidance, and strategies to help parents manage change while keeping their children’s wellbeing at the heart of the process.
Over the course of five interactive sessions, parents learn to:
- Understand separation as a family transition, not just a legal process
- Communicate with their children about divorce in age-appropriate and emotionally safe ways
- Recognise and manage unhelpful emotions such as anger, guilt, and anxiety
- Challenge negative thought patterns and build emotional resilience
- Develop healthy conflict resolution skills and co-parenting strategies
- Create a practical parenting plan to support consistency and cooperation
- Rebuild balance and identity after separation — including support for work, family life, and new relationships
This course helps parents stay connected, confident, and child-focused — even during difficult transitions. It’s a safe, supportive space to build stronger foundations for the future.
Support Groups
Connection. Strength. Solutions.
Our Father Support Groups are safe, welcoming spaces for dads affected by family separation. We understand the emotional, legal, and practical challenges fathers often face — and we believe no dad should go through it alone.
These groups offer more than just a listening ear — they create a community of mutual support where fathers can:
- Share their experiences and stories in a non-judgmental environment
- Receive practical advice on parenting, co-parenting, and navigating separation
- Learn strategies to maintain strong, positive relationships with their children
- Explore ways to manage emotions like anger, frustration, and grief
- Discover peer-led coaching sessions focused on solution-building and accountability
- Celebrate progress and small wins together — building hope and resilience
Each group is facilitated by a trained mentor and may also feature guest speakers such as family law advisors, therapists, or life coaches. Sessions may include:
- Parenting after separation workshops
- Conflict resolution skill-building
- Legal Q&A drop-ins
- Men’s mental health check-ins
- Peer mentoring circles
Whether you’re newly separated or further along the journey, these groups provide a place to connect, grow, and move forward as a father — with confidence and support.
Family Separation Helpline
Compassionate Support When You Need It Most
Our Family Separation Helpline is here for you — whether you’re in crisis, looking for advice, or simply need someone to talk to.
🕘 Opening Hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9am – 6pm
- Weekends: 9am – 12pm
We understand that family separation is often overwhelming. Our helpline provides non-legal support, including:
- Emotional guidance and a listening ear
- Parenting advice and conflict de-escalation strategies
- Signposting to relevant services and organisations
- One-to-one coaching and mentoring
- Practical steps for reducing stress and staying child-focused
Our helpline professionals are trained in the field of family separation, emotional wellbeing, and suicide prevention. Many have first-hand experience in supporting families through crisis and are fully equipped to offer a calm, supportive presence.
We receive a wide range of calls — from questions about our programmes, to emotional check-ins, to moments of acute distress. If the issue is outside our scope, we will signpost you to the right agency or escalate the query to our Chief Executive Officer to ensure you get the support you need.
In Mental Health Crisis Situations
If a caller is at immediate risk of harm to themselves or others, we treat this as a safeguarding emergency.
In these cases:
- We aim to keep the caller on the line using trained suicide prevention techniques such as active listening, safety planning, and grounding exercises
- We remain calm, compassionate, and focused on helping the caller feel seen and heard
- We will escalate the concern to the relevant adult safeguarding agencies or contact emergency services to request a welfare check if needed
This approach follows a “Listen–Assess–Support–Refer” model, keeping the caller safe while respecting their dignity and needs.
What to Expect When You Call
Most callers are reaching out for support, clarity, and hope. After an initial conversation, we may offer:
- A face-to-face meeting to explore support options
- Enrolment into one of our programmes or support groups
- Continued check-ins and emotional coaching
We are always empathetic, non-judgmental, and child-focused. Our aim is to help reduce conflict and stress, empower parents to make thoughtful decisions, and support a positive future for the whole family.
Family Court Support & McKenzie Friend Service
Standing With You Every Step of the Way
Navigating the family court system can be daunting, especially when you’re doing it alone. Our McKenzie Friend and Family Court Support service is here to ensure no parent has to face it unsupported. Whether you’re struggling emotionally, practically, or financially — we’re by your side.
Our trained Family Court Support Workers can act as a McKenzie Friend for parents who cannot access or afford legal representation. We offer structured, compassionate, and expert support throughout the entire process, including:
- Assistance with court paperwork and applications
- Help writing clear, focused position statements and supporting documents
- Attendance at court hearings to provide moral and practical support
- Taking notes, helping you stay calm and focused during proceedings
- Emotional support and coaching, helping manage anxiety and uncertainty
- Highlighting key information or evidence that supports your case
- Empowering you to present your side confidently and keep child welfare at the centre
Our approach is built on values of empathy, fairness, and solution-focused support. We don’t just provide procedural guidance — we walk with you as a trusted ally and emotional anchor.
Why This Service Matters
Family court proceedings can leave parents feeling unheard and overwhelmed. Our workers are trained in:
- Child-centred communication strategies
- Trauma-informed support to reduce stress and emotional fatigue
- Conflict reduction and de-escalation techniques
- Evidence preparation and case documentation best practices
- Co-parenting guidance aligned with the child’s best interests
We never give legal advice — but we do offer sound, practical insights to help you make clear, informed decisions and advocate for your relationship with your child.
This service is free of charge and exists solely to promote the wellbeing of children by supporting their parents to show up as their best selves — calm, prepared, and heard.
Whether you’re at the start of the court process or deep in the journey, our team is ready to support you with professionalism, compassion, and unwavering commitment.
Wellbeing Support for Separated Parents
Helping Parents Heal, Rebuild, and Reconnect
At James’ Ark, we recognise that the wellbeing of parents is central to a child’s stability and development—especially during the challenges of separation or divorce. When a parent is mentally, emotionally, and physically well, they are far better equipped to co-parent effectively, make child-focused decisions, and build a positive future for their family.
Our Wellbeing Support Programme is designed to help separated parents restore balance, reduce stress, and strengthen resilience. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, isolated, or just in need of a reset, we’re here to walk with you.
We offer a wide range of wellbeing services, including:
- Emotional support and counselling to manage anxiety, loss, and relationship breakdown
- Mindfulness and breathwork sessions, including Wim Hof Method workshops and retreats
- Physical wellness activities: gym sessions, boxing, yoga, hiking, cycling, and nature walks
- Community connection through social meetups, game nights, and peer-led support groups
- Life coaching and mentoring to build confidence and support goal setting post-separation
These services provide more than just relief — they offer reconnection, clarity, and a sense of community. We create safe spaces where parents can reflect, recharge, and rediscover who they are beyond the separation.
By nurturing their wellbeing, parents can regain stability, become emotionally present, and build healthier relationships with their children and themselves.
At James’ Ark, we believe every parent deserves support, strength, and the opportunity to thrive — because when parents do well, children do even better.
Therapeutic Supported Family Time / Super Kids
Rebuilding Bonds Through Connection, Care, and Community
James’ Ark understands the importance of rebuilding trust and restoring relationships between parents and children—especially after periods of absence, separation, or emotional distance. Our Therapeutic Supported Family Time programme is designed to provide a safe, nurturing, and positive environment where families can reconnect, heal, and grow together.
Grounded in therapeutic principles, this initiative offers structured, community-based experiences that encourage meaningful interaction while gently addressing emotional and relational needs.
Reconnection & Trust Building
For families navigating complex dynamics, our sessions offer more than just quality time—they provide a guided pathway to rebuilding trust. Whether reuniting after a long absence or working through strained relationships, we create spaces that are safe, child-focused, and professionally supported. With a clear emphasis on positive interaction, our team facilitates sessions that promote empathy, communication, and consistency.
Emotional Support for All
We recognise that both parents and children bring emotional layers to these moments. That’s why we integrate therapeutic tools and emotional coaching into every session.
- Children are gently supported in expressing their feelings in age-appropriate, healthy ways.
- Parents are guided in how to respond with understanding, patience, and presence.
Together, families learn how to navigate emotional complexity with resilience, empathy, and connection.
Activities That Speak to Children
Every session is tailored to be engaging and enjoyable for the children involved. We listen to their voices and preferences, and offer activities such as:
- Bowling
- Crazy Golf
- Jump Jersey
- Outdoor picnics and nature days
- Creative play or quiet bonding time
The focus is always on creating positive shared experiences, led by the child’s comfort and interests, and supported by professionals who are family-focused.
Prisoner Reconnection Programme
Rebuilding Bonds. Restoring Hope. Reimagining Fatherhood and Family.
We believe that every parent deserves the opportunity to heal, grow, and reconnect with their children—regardless of past mistakes. Our Prisoner Reconnection Programme is dedicated to supporting incarcerated parents in restoring relationships with their children through a compassionate, therapeutic, and child-focused approach.
This initiative is designed not only to enhance the parent-child bond, but to be a powerful tool for personal transformation, rehabilitation, and emotional recovery.
Strengthening the Parent-Child Relationship
We facilitate structured communication and visitation opportunities that nurture meaningful connections between parents and their children. Through guided sessions, letter-writing, supervised calls, and supported family visits, we help parents stay emotionally present—even from behind prison walls.
Parents receive coaching and practical resources to strengthen their co-parenting skills, improving their ability to support their child’s emotional and developmental needs from a distance.
A Child-Centred Approach
The wellbeing of the child is at the heart of everything we do.
- We work to minimise conflict and prioritise the child’s voice in every interaction.
- Parents are encouraged to see the world through their child’s eyes and learn how their own behaviours—past and present—impact their children’s sense of security, identity, and emotional health.
Educational initiatives equip participants with tools to support their child’s development, build trust, and create a foundation for future stability.
Therapeutic Support & Personal Healing
This programme is more than reconnection—it is rehabilitation through relationship.
We provide:
- Support groups within the prison for fathers to explore their role as parents and partners.
- One-to-one therapeutic coaching to help participants unpack their own trauma, understand patterns of behaviour, and develop emotional regulation strategies.
- Fatherhood education to promote healthy parenting, empathy, and accountability.
As participants begin to reconnect with their children, many experience a renewed sense of purpose. This motivation to be better fathers often becomes a powerful driver for healing and genuine behavioural change.
Aftercare Services
Because the journey doesn’t end when the process does.
True support extends beyond court dates, programme completion, or release from prison. Healing, rebuilding, and growth take time—and we’re committed to walking alongside parents every step of the way.
Our Aftercare Services ensure that no parent feels alone once formal support ends. Whether you’ve completed our parenting programmes, finished the court process, or are transitioning back into the community after imprisonment, we remain a consistent source of guidance, encouragement, and care.
What Aftercare Includes
- Regular Wellbeing Check-ins: Ongoing conversations to see how you’re coping, celebrate progress, and identify any new challenges.
- Continued Access to Wellbeing Projects: Join our fitness activities, nature retreats, mental health workshops, and therapeutic services at any stage.
- Open-door Helpline Support: Our team is just a phone call away—ready to offer guidance, emotional support, or simply a listening ear.
- Support Group Integration: Stay connected through peer-led support groups, meet-ups, and coaching sessions that offer shared experiences and collective strength.
- Community Events: Invitations to social events, networking opportunities, and family-friendly activities that keep you feeling part of a positive, uplifting community.
We don’t just help you through the process—we’re here for the long haul. Because rebuilding lives and restoring families doesn’t happen overnight. And you don’t have to do it alone.
By offering these products and services, James’ Ark helps families going through difficult life challenges, like separation, to lower conflict and trauma through early intervention. The goal would be to support families in regaining the relationships they deserve with their family and to achieve the best outcomes for their children.
| James Cunninghamjames@jamesarkjersey.comwww.Jamesarkjersey.com |
Fatherless Impact
Children from fatherless homes account for 63% of youth suicides, 76% of young men in prison, 90% of homeless men, 75% of substance abusers, 85% of children who show behavioural issues come from fatherless homes, our young girls are 7x more likely to become teenage mums and 120% at greater risk of abuse.