What Is the Separated Parents Information Programme (SPIP)?
Updated: Oct 31
Last updated: 31 October 2026 · Written by the family law paralegal team at Court Help Limited
In short: The separated parents information programme (SPIP) was a course for parents in family court cases about children. It closed to new referrals on 29 March 2023. Since 3 April 2023, Cafcass has offered Planning Together for Children instead: up to two hours of online learning, then a two and a half hour group workshop. It's free, and only a court or Cafcass can refer you.
Key facts about SPIP and Planning Together for Children
Question | The short answer |
What SPIP was | A one-off, four-hour course for separated parents in family court cases about children |
Is SPIP still running? | No. SPIP stopped taking new referrals on 29 March 2023 (Cafcass) |
What replaced it | Planning Together for Children in England (from 3 April 2023); Working Together for Children in Wales |
Cost | Free when the court or Cafcass refers you |
How long it takes | E-learning of up to two hours, then a group workshop of two and a half hours |
Who can go | Parents and carers in family court cases about children, by court order or Cafcass referral only. Children can't attend |
Do you go with your ex? | No. You're never put in the same workshop as your co-parent |
The law | Children Act 1989, section 11A (activity directions) and section 11C (activity conditions) |
Source checked | Cafcass and legislation.gov.uk, 31 October 2026 |
What is the separated parents information programme (SPIP)?
The separated parents information programme, usually shortened to SPIP, was a course for parents going through a family court case about their children. Its aim was to help parents see the separation through their child's eyes, and to show how conflict between parents affects children.
If you've been told you need to do "a SPIP" or "a parenting course", you're almost certainly being pointed to its replacement. Cafcass stopped accepting new SPIP referrals on 29 March 2023 and launched Planning Together for Children on 3 April 2023, on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. People, and even some court papers, still call it SPIP, which is why the old name lives on.
The idea behind both courses is the same. You learn what children need from separated parents, how to talk to your co-parent with less conflict, and how to put your child first when you're making plans. The difference is in how the course is run, which we explain below.
What is Planning Together for Children?
Planning Together for Children is the course that replaced the separated parents information programme in England. Cafcass describes it as a short course designed to help parents work together to put their child's needs first, and to protect children from some of the harmful effects of parental conflict. Action for Children leads the delivery of the course, working with other partners.
It has three parts:
E-learning: up to two hours of online modules that you do in your own time, on any device, within ten days of getting your welcome letter. There are eight topics, including what happens at court, how separation and conflict affect children, and how to communicate better.
A group workshop: two and a half hours, usually online, though you can ask to attend in person. You can pick a day, evening or weekend session.
Our Child's Plan: an online parenting plan you can fill in and share with your co-parent, covering things like time with your child, school and health decisions, and pocket money.
In Wales, the equivalent course is called Working Together for Children, and it's arranged through Cafcass Cymru rather than Cafcass.
How much does a SPIP course cost?
Planning Together for Children is free. Cafcass says there's no cost to you for taking part.
Our old guide said a SPIP cost about £150 per parent if you weren't referred by the court. That's out of date. The course isn't currently open to parents outside the court process, and you can't refer yourself, so there's no paid route to book. If you want help with co-parenting without a court case, Cafcass's Our Child's Plan is free for anyone to use, and family mediation and the MIAM process are worth looking at too.
How long is a SPIP course?
The old SPIP was a single four-hour session, sometimes split in two. Planning Together for Children is split differently:
the e-learning takes up to two hours, and you can do it in short bursts
the workshop lasts two and a half hours and runs in two halves with a break in the middle
So you're looking at roughly four and a half hours in total, spread over two stages. Because the e-learning has to be done within ten days of your welcome letter, it's worth starting as soon as the letter arrives.
What happens at a SPIP course?
On the e-learning, you work through the modules at your own pace in the Parent Hub, an online account you set up from your welcome email. You'll cover how court cases about children work, how children experience separation and conflict, and practical ways to communicate with your co-parent.
The workshop is where you talk things through with a trainer and a small group of other parents. You won't be asked to go over the details of your own case in front of everyone. The focus is on what children need from both parents, how to manage disagreements, and how to make plans that work in real life. During the course you're also introduced to Our Child's Plan, which you can use with your co-parent afterwards.
What you say on the course is confidential, unless there's a safety concern about a child or an adult. If there is, the trainer will speak to the parent concerned and may contact Cafcass.
You don't go to the same workshop as your ex. Cafcass is clear that you'll never be invited into the same workshop as your co-parent, so you can speak freely.
Are SPIP courses helpful?
Our earlier guide said most parents found SPIP helpful. We can't point to current published figures to back that up, so we won't repeat it. What we can say is what the course is designed to do: give parents a calmer way of thinking about the separation, practical tools for talking to each other, and a written plan to work from.
In our experience, the parents who get the most out of it are the ones who go in with an open mind. The course isn't about deciding who's right. It's about what your child needs from both of you, now and in the years ahead. Some parents are asked to take part in a short follow-up call of about ten minutes so Cafcass can measure the course's impact, but not everyone gets one.
Who else will be there?
The group workshop has no more than six parents or carers. The others in the group are also separated parents with family court cases, so you'll often hear experiences similar to your own.
Children can't attend. Cafcass says the course is for parents and carers only. Your co-parent won't be in your group either.
Who delivers the programme?
Cafcass commissions Planning Together for Children on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, and Action for Children leads delivery with other partners. Trained facilitators run the workshops.
You can't book a place yourself. A place comes from one of two routes:
A court order. At the first hearing, or later, the court can direct you to attend. This is called an activity direction under section 11A of the Children Act 1989. If the court makes a child arrangements order, it can also attach an activity condition under section 11C.
A Cafcass referral. Your Cafcass Family Court Adviser can ask for a referral before the first hearing or later on, where everyone agrees it may help you and your child. Before recommending it, the adviser uses Cafcass's Child Impact Assessment Framework to check for risks and decide whether the course is suitable. If the court decides a referral isn't appropriate, the adviser won't make one.
If you're preparing for your first conversation with Cafcass, our guide on how to prepare for a Cafcass call explains what they'll ask.
What does the course cover?
Planning Together for Children covers both the practical and the emotional side of parenting apart. Its eight e-learning topics include what happens at court, the effect of separation and conflict on children, and how to communicate better. The workshop builds on that, with a focus on:
how children of different ages may react to their parents separating
spotting when conflict is reaching your child, and how to keep it away from them
ways to talk and message your co-parent that are less likely to end in an argument
making practical plans together, using Our Child's Plan
These are the same things a court looks at when it decides what's best for a child. If you want to understand how judges make that decision, our guide to the welfare checklist walks through each point.
What happens after the course?
The Parent Hub keeps a record of what you've completed and when. If a parent can't or won't finish the course, the Family Court Adviser and the court are told, so they can decide what to do next. Cafcass's page doesn't mention a paper certificate, so keep your welcome email and any confirmation emails in case you need to show what you've done.
Your case then carries on. The court may already have set the next hearing, and it may ask Cafcass for a report. Under section 11G of the Children Act 1989, the court can ask Cafcass to monitor whether a parent has done the activity and report back. If the course helps you and your co-parent agree some or all of the arrangements, you can ask the court to turn that agreement into an order. If contact still isn't working, for example at a supervised contact centre, the court will deal with that at the next hearing.
Do I have to attend the SPIP course?
If the court has directed you to attend, yes. An activity direction or activity condition is part of a court order, and the court expects you to take part. Cafcass says that if you don't attend when ordered, the court may order it again and will expect you to take part. Not attending also tends to look bad when the court is deciding arrangements for your child.
If you can't make the dates you're offered, or you're worried about taking part, tell Cafcass or the course provider straight away rather than just not turning up. There are day, evening and weekend workshops, and in-person sessions can be arranged.
If there's no court case, you can't attend, because the course is only open through the court process. You can still use Our Child's Plan on your own.
Can the SPIP course be court-ordered or referred by Cafcass?
Yes. Both routes still apply to Planning Together for Children. The court can direct you to attend under section 11A of the Children Act 1989, or add a condition to a child arrangements order under section 11C. A Cafcass Family Court Adviser can also refer you. Either way, the course is free.
There are limits. Under section 11A(6), the court can't use an activity direction to make you have a medical or psychiatric assessment or treatment, or to make you take part in mediation. The child's welfare is the court's paramount consideration when it decides whether to make a direction (section 11A(9)).
A court can also make an activity direction when a parent isn't following an existing child arrangements order (section 11A(2A) and (2B)). That's one of the options when contact keeps being cancelled. Our guide on what to do if Christmas contact is refused explains the enforcement route.
How does the course fit into the court process?
Most parents meet the course early in their case. The usual steps are:
Step | What happens |
1. MIAM | You usually attend a mediation meeting before applying, unless an exemption applies (GOV.UK) |
2. C100 application | You apply for a child arrangements order. The court fee is £270 (GOV.UK, checked 31 October 2026) |
3. Cafcass safeguarding checks | Cafcass makes checks and may speak to each parent before the first hearing |
4. First hearing | The court may direct both parents to attend Planning Together for Children |
5. The course | E-learning within ten days of the welcome letter, then the group workshop |
6. Next hearing | The court reviews progress, any agreement and any Cafcass report |
If you haven't applied yet, our guide on the child arrangement order form explains what the C100 is used for. GOV.UK says it usually takes around 10 months to get a court order, so if you're hoping for arrangements by a particular date, act early. Our article asking whether it's too late to apply to court for Christmas contact covers timing in more detail.
Common worries about the course
"I don't want to be in a room with my ex." You won't be. Parents always go to separate workshops.
"I'm worried about my safety." Tell Cafcass. Referral depends on a suitable risk assessment and no known risk of harm to the children, and the course isn't right for every family.
"I'm not good with computers." You can do the e-learning on any device, and help getting started is available from the course provider. You can ask for an in-person workshop.
"Will the trainer report what I say?" The Family Court Adviser and the court are told if you don't complete the course, but what you say in the workshop stays confidential unless there's a safety concern.
"We already share care, so why do we need this?" Even parents with a shared care arrangement can benefit from a plan for handling disagreements. If the court has ordered it, you need to go.
Frequently asked questions
Is SPIP the same as Planning Together for Children?
Not quite. Planning Together for Children replaced SPIP in England from 3 April 2023. It covers similar ground but adds e-learning and an online parenting plan. Many people still call it SPIP.
Is there a SPIP course contact number?
For questions about your Planning Together for Children account, Cafcass gives the email planningtogether@cafcass.gov.uk and the phone number 0300 456 4000 shown on its course page (checked 31 October 2026). Your welcome letter also tells you how to get help from the course provider. In Wales, contact Cafcass Cymru.
Can I do the SPIP course without a court order?
No. Planning Together for Children isn't currently open to parents outside the court process, and you can't refer yourself. Our Child's Plan is free for anyone to use online.
Does my child have to attend?
No. Children aren't allowed to attend. It's for parents and carers only.
What if I can't finish the course?
Tell the provider and Cafcass as soon as you can. If a parent can't or won't complete it, the Family Court Adviser and the court are told, and the court can order it again.
Can the course be done in person?
Yes. Workshops are usually online, but in-person attendance can be arranged.
How we can help
Court Help Limited is a family law paralegal firm in England and Wales. We're not solicitors and we don't represent clients in court, but we can help you understand what the court has ordered, prepare your C100 and statements, and get ready for hearings. Email help@incourt.co.uk or use the contact form on our website, and take a look at our Google reviews to see what other parents say about working with us.
Related articles
Sources
Cafcass: Help in Planning Together for Children (checked 31 October 2026)
Cafcass: launch of Planning Together for Children, 3 April 2023 (checked 31 October 2026)
Children Act 1989, section 11A, legislation.gov.uk (checked 31 October 2026)
GOV.UK: apply for a court order (checked 31 October 2026)
This article is general information about the law in England and Wales. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on as legal advice. Every case turns on its own facts, and court fees and procedures change, so check GOV.UK for the latest position. Court Help Limited is a family law paralegal firm, not a firm of solicitors, and does not represent clients in court.
Comments