Fathers After Change
Being a safer parent, for the rest of your life
For fathers and parents who have acknowledged previous harmful behaviour and are committed to becoming safer, healthier and more accountable parents.
The welfare and safety of children comes first. Nothing on this page is intended to help anyone avoid, delay or undermine safeguarding decisions, court orders or professional assessments.
Parenting after domestic abuse
Parenting after you have caused harm means accepting that trust is rebuilt slowly, on other people’s terms, and sometimes not at all. It means putting your child’s experience ahead of your own sense of injustice, and being able to hear difficult feedback without defending yourself.
Maintaining behavioural change
Change is maintained in ordinary moments: how you respond under stress, how you speak about the other parent, how you handle a decision that goes against you. We support members to notice early warning patterns and to keep working on them.
Working with professionals
Children’s services, family court and CAFCASS exist to protect children. Understanding why professionals are concerned — rather than arguing that they should not be — is usually the most constructive starting point.
- Children’s services and child protection plans
- Family court processes and expectations
- CAFCASS and section 7 reports
- Risk and parenting assessments
- Understanding professional concerns
- Demonstrating sustained progress
Coping with long-term consequences
Some consequences last. Contact may remain limited or supervised. Information may be shared with professionals for years. Living with that honestly, without bitterness, is part of the work — and it is work we support people to sustain.
For official guidance on family-court and children’s-services processes, see CAFCASS and the family court guidance on GOV.UK. If you are worried about a child’s safety, contact the NSPCC or your local children’s services.