Advice that has a direct impact on quality of life

According to Statistics Iceland, there are on average around 1,100-1,200 divorces a year in Iceland, and it is estimated that in Hafnarfjörður there are just over 100 divorces a year. Hafnarfjörður offers divorce counselling from 1 June 2020, this is a collaboration between the City of Hafnarfjörður and the Ministry of Social Affairs, entitled Co-operation after divorce (SES) . 

The local newspaper Hafnfirðingur spoke with Soffía Ólafsdóttir, Head of the Family and Child Welfare Department.

An important step in enhancing services for residents

„We are going into this rather blindly regarding the number of people who will come forward for the service, and we are in good cooperation with the sheriff's office. The project will be presented to priests and others involved in the matter, and emphasis has also been placed on introducing and educating the council's staff about this new project.“ Soffía says, adding in response to a question that the municipality's participation is important as part of enhancing services for residents. „The aim of the project is to provide advice to parents, in order to prevent and/or reduce conflict between parents going through a divorce or separation, and to promote cooperation, which can have a direct impact on the children's quality of life.“

^{Part of the SES team with the Head of Department: Kolbrún Sigþórsdóttir, Ásgerður Arna Sófusdóttir (at the back), Rannveig Einarsdóttir, Head of Department, Arnbjörg Jónsdóttir, Erla Rós Heiðarsdóttir and Hulda Björk Finnsdóttir (at the front).}

Also for parents who divorced some time ago

The separation counselling is also intended for parents who have been through a separation some time ago and wish to foster better co-parenting, with the child's best interests at heart. „Co-operation after a divorce fits well with the family's projects- and child matters, as the Local Authority Social Services Act contains provisions regarding entitlements to social services, and the assistance and services must be designed to resolve difficulties and prevent individuals and families from becoming unable to manage their own affairs,“ Soffía says.

Early intervention and preventative approaches

Professionals at the Office of Family and Child Affairs have attended courses this spring on how to use the „Co-parenting after Divorce' programme in counselling and support for people who are divorcing. Soffía says that work has been carried out to formulate procedures and prepare the project to ensure its success. "This approach is very much in line with the focus that the City of Hafnarfjörður has been developing in its services for children and families. The main theme of these priorities is early intervention, and “Cooperation after Divorce' is a clear example of a preventative approach in working with families in the municipality.“

Online compulsory courses in Denmark

Asked about a connection to another similar initiative that has proved successful in this area, Soffía says that, for example, the divorce laws in Denmark were changed last year and all parents in the country are now required to take an online compulsory course on the effects of divorce on children. „Research has shown a significant difference in the well-being of those who take part in the project and those who do not. There is therefore much to be gained, and we expect the results to be comparable to those in Denmark.“

Co-operation after divorce is a pilot project and its progress and success will be closely monitored.

Advice is requested through My Pages  and www.samvinnaeftirskilnad.is . It is also possible to contact the advisers of the Family and Child Affairs Department by telephone.

^{Soffía Ólafsdóttir is here with Særún Ómarsdóttir and Hlín Pétursdóttir, who are also in the SES team.}

An interview with Soffía was published in Hafnfirðinginn on 8 June 2020.