Dispatches

Sharing Mum and Dad (2013x2)

Air date: Jan 14, 2013

Today, one in three children in the UK grow up in a home with only one parent. But are we doing what's best for the children of separated parents? Dispatches follows presenter Tim Lovejoy, a divorced father of two, as he investigates the current situation surrounding shared parenting following divorce or separation. Tim speaks hears a wide range of voices and explores the psychological effects of parental separation on children, talking to teenagers about their personal experiences. The programme investigates the roles of mums and dads in 2013, asking whether current legislation in this area is up-to-date with the way in which modern families operate, and exploring different ways of sharing parenting post-separation. Tim uses social media to generate debate, much of it incorporated into the film. And, in a first for Dispatches, Channel 4 is showing behind-the-scenes clips of the production process online, to help inform the debate.