International Platform on Shared Parenting (twohomes.org)
(since 23rd of February 2014 'International Council on Shared Parenting (ICSP)' )
Kick-off Workshop
Bonn, Germany, 10-11 August 2013
Press Information
Two homes work better for children after separation
Shared parenting is a win-win-win situation
Bonn, Germany, 13 August 2013.
Shared parenting, with an equal standing of both parents, has been proved to be in the best interests of children, because they can stay in a meaningful relationship with both their mother and their father after separation or divorce. Shared parenting reconciles family and work. Shared parenting provides benefits to society.
“We must extinguish the flames of conflict between separated parents so that children can benefit from the support of their mothers and fathers. There must be more widespread awareness, acceptance and implementation of shared parenting as a viable and preferred solution among the public and involved professions.”
This resolution was adopted at the Kick-off Workshop of the International Platform on Shared Parenting (twohomes.org) held in Bonn, Germany, on 10-11 August 2013. This new organisation brings together the best of evidence-based research and modern best practices on shared parenting.
Parents organisations, family professionals and scientists from 14 countries in Europe and North America called upon governments, judges, lawyers, mediators and social workers to promote peace between parents and to develop new ways of helping families to operate better after separation.
Angela Hoffmeyer, initiator of the international cooperation, underlined: “Across Western societies there is increased enthusiasm for shared parenting. Our aim is to raise awareness of the benefits of this living arrangement for children and to overcome reservations still prevailing in the legal system.”
Recent Swedish research revealed that children in separated families with shared parenting experienced less bullying than those with only one involved parent. Previous research from three continents had already shown that after parental separation, children long for both parents and suffer when they have only little contact with one of them. Those with shared parenting do better in school and have lower rates of psychological problems, child abuse, substance abuse, behavioural problems, developmental problems, delinquency and teenage pregnancy.
Contact: Angela Hoffmeyer, tél. +49-170-800 46 15, angela.hoffmeyer@twohomes.org
Site web: www.twohomes.org
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Swedish report:
http://www.socialstyrelsen.se/publikationer2012/2012-5-15
Proceedings
Programme
International_Platform_on_Shared_Parenting_Kick-off_Workshop_Bonn-Programme.pdf
List of Participants
International_Platform_on_Shared_Parenting_Kick-off_Workshop_Bonn-Participants.pdf
Presentations
| Introductory Session | |
| Greeting | Hans-Christian Prestien, retired family court judge, Germany |
| Hans-Christian Prestien - Grußwort | |
| Introduction to the Kick-off Workshop | Angela Hoffmeyer, Väteraufbruch für Kinder (VAfK), Germany |
| Angela Hoffmeyer - Introduction | |
| Shared Parenting – Time for a change of ideas | Prof. Hildegund Sünderhauf, Evangelische Hochschule Nürnberg, Germany |
| Hildegund Sünderhauf - Keynote Speech | |
| Part I: Country Perspectives on Shared Parenting | |
| Shared Parenting in Belgium | Jan Piet H. de Man, European Institute for the Best Interests of the Child, Belgium |
| Jan Piet De Man - Shared Parenting in Belgium | |
| Shared Parenting in France | Prof. Gérard Neyrand, Professeur à l'Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier (UPS), France |
| Gérard Neyrand - Shared Parenting in France | |
| Shared Parenting in Italy | Dr. Vittorio Vezzetti, Associazione Nazionale Familiaristi Italiani (A.N.F.I.), Italy, represented by Michael Bockhorni, Väter aktiv, Italy |
| Michael Bockhorni / Dr. Vittorio Vezzetti - Shared Parenting in Italy | |
| Shared Parenting in Spain | Prof. Lluís Flaquer, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain |
| Llouis Flaquer - Shared Parenting in Spain | |
| Shared Parenting in Greece | Ioannis Paparigopoulos, Associaton in favour of the parental equality for the children (GON.IS), Greece |
| Ioannis Paparigopoulos - Shared Parenting in Greece | |
| Shared Parenting in Austria | Anton Pototschnig, Platform doppelresidenz.at, Austria |
| Anton Pototschnig - Shared Parenting in Austria (deutsche Fassung) | |
| Shared Parenting in Switzerland | Oliver Hunziker, Swiss Association for Joint Parenthood (GeCoBi), Switzerland |
| Oliver Hunziker - Shared Parenting in Switzerland | |
| Shared Parenting in Germany | Prof. Hildegund Sünderhauf, Evangelische Hochschule Nürnberg, Germany |
| Hildegund Sünderhauf - Shared Parenting in Germany | |
| Shared Parenting in the Netherlands | Peter Tromp, Dutch Father Knowledge Centre (VKC), Platform for European Fathers (PEF) |
| Peter Tromp - Shared Parenting in the Netherlands | |
| Shared Parenting in the USA | Dr. Ned Holstein, MD, MS, National Parents Organization (NPO), USA |
| Shared Parenting in Canada | Edward Kruk, M.S.W., Ph.D., The University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada |
| Edward Kruk - Shared Parenting in Canada | |
| Shared Parenting in the United Kingdom | Ian Maxwell, Families Need Fathers (FNF) Scotland, UK |
| Ian Maxwell - Shared Parenting in the UK | |
| Attachment: Ross Jones, Policy & Communications Manager, Families Need Fathers (FNF), UK | |
| Ross Jones - Shared Parenting in UK (Attachement) | |
| Part II: Scientific, legal and societal issues related to Shared Parenting | |
| Age and time perception of the child as a determinant for parenting arrangements – proposals for a child-oriented practice and legislation | Jan Piet H. de Man, European Institute for the Best Interests of the Child, Belgium |
| Jan Piet De Man - ChildTime | |
| Shared Parenting and human rights | Martin Widrig, Université de Fribourg, Switzerland |
| Martin Widrig - Shared Parenting and Human Rights | |
| Work-life balance and Shared Parenting | Cornelia Spachtholz, Verband berufstätiger Mütter (VBM), Germany |
Invitation
International Platform on Shared Parenting twohomes.org
Kick-off Workshop on 10th and 11th of August 2013 in Bonn, Germany
In the context of international cooperation and networking, the "Project Group Shared Parenting", which was initiated by the German organisation Väteraufbruch für Kinder e.V. (VAfK), hosts a kick-off workshop in Bonn on August 10-11, 2013. Our cooperation partners who participate in this workshop are scientists, family professionals and representatives of European and American parent organisations.
The kick-off workshop is meant to implement an exchange of experience and research as well as a cooperation at a new international level.
After a brief overview on the state of research and legal as well as practical implementation of Shared Parenting in the different countries (parts I and II), two issues represent the central subjects of part III:
- the webplatform "twohomes.org" which is still under ongoing development
- the structure and organisation of the future collaboration at an international level