Schools to help children whose parents are separating

More than 200,000 children and young people at 1,500 schools will be able to access counselling and peer mentoring through the £60m government scheme, part of a wider plan to support children and families affected by family breakdown.

The government is also looking for local organisations to develop services such as mediation and legal support; launching an online and telephone support service; and supporting new parents' ability to work together through antenatal education.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls said: "Too often in the past we have focused on supporting adults when they are breaking up but we have not thought enough about the impact on children. We are pioneering a new approach here in thinking about this particular group of vulnerable children."

Balls and children's minister Beverley Hughes are today (18 December) meeting with family and relationship experts and charities to investigate other ways of helping families experiencing relationship breakdown. Balls will launch a guide for separating parents which will be available online as well as from children's centres and GP surgeries.