Legal PR agency MD Communications is powering a major pro bono campaign to tackle the hidden crisis of parental separation in UK schools.
Run by The Parents Promise – co-founded by Melissa Davis, CEO and founder of MD Communications, and James Hayhurst, Partner and Head of Brand at the agency – the initiative has united teachers, safeguarding experts and policymakers behind a call for urgent change in how schools respond to parental separation disputes and how that affects children in schools.
Backed by a national survey of up to 10,000 education professionals, the campaign reveals that almost six in 10 teachers say that their schools have been caught in parental conflict, with nine in 10 teachers reporting a negative impact on children’s mental health. The Parents Promise has launched a new schools’ toolkit built around its “Five to Thrive” framework, calling on schools to adopt policies, training and safeguarding leads.
Melissa Davis said: “As a communications agency with deep roots in the legal sector, we knew we could use our voice and networks to push this issue into the national spotlight and drive real change. This is purpose-led PR at its most powerful.”
James Hayhurst, co-founder of The Parents Promise and Partner at MD Communications, added: “The effects of parental separation on children is fast becoming a hidden crisis in our schools. By producing these materials for parents and teachers alike this campaign is about changing the narrative from silence and stigma to support and action.”
Purpose-led track record
The Parents Promise previously made headlines in 2023 when it secured HR policy reforms at major UK employers including Tesco, Unilever, NatWest, PwC and Vodafone — recognising separation as a major life event and extending support to more than 600,000 workers.
This latest phase shifts the focus to schools, with national voices such as Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division of the High Court, Place2Be CEO Catherine Roche, Nigel Genders, CEO of National Society for Education and Dear Deidre advice Editor at the Sun, Sally Land backing the campaign.
National voices back the campaign
Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division of the High Court: “Parental separation doesn’t have to mean poor outcomes for children, but the way separation is handled matters. If we had a blank sheet of paper and were designing a package of support for a child whose parents are separating, that child’s school would of course play a fundamental role in that plan. By providing guidance and resources for teachers and parents alike, the Parents Promise will make a real, practical difference.”
Nigel Genders, CEO of National Society for Education: “The Parents Promise education initiative is so timely and so necessary – grounded in a simple but profound idea: that children have the right to be loved by both parents, to be shielded from conflict, and to be supported in maintaining positive relationships with their wider families.”
Catherine Roche, CEO, Place2Be: “At Place2Be we see the effect of parental separation on children every day and this initiative by The Parents Promise is much needed. Educating parents how to separate in the best way for their children and providing schools with resources they need to support those children best will make an immediate impact on thousands of young people this new academic year.”
Rupa Huq MP: “With schools returning this autumn, there could not be a more vital time to reiterate this call from parliamentarians and campaigners: practical support for teachers, better mediation, and a common commitment to the wellbeing of every child.”
Launch
The Parents Promise formally launched its new education resources at a Houses of Parliament event on 9 September, featuring:
- James Hayhurst, The Parents Promise
- Rupa Huq MP
- Nigel Genders, National Society for Education
- Sally Land, The Sun
- Anna Machin, author of The Life of Dad
About The Parents Promise and MD Communications
The Parents Promise is a campaign group, co-founded by Melissa Davis and James Hayhurst. It brings together organisations including Relate, Place2Be, Only Mums & Dads, One Plus One, Asian Single Parents Network, Separate Space, Restored Lives and Spurgeons that campaigns for a more child-focused society, which includes giving children the most positive experience possible during parental separation or divorce.
Launched in 2021, The Parents Promise helps parents make a positive commitment to their children today, in case of relationship breakdown tomorrow. It’s a commitment from both parents to put their child(ren) first and to work together in partnership, even if the parents separate, to ensure their child(ren) have a stable and supportive family environment.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Campaign mechanics: How MD Communications powered The Parents Promise schools initiative
Campaign leadership
● Run by The Parents Promise, co-founded by Melissa Davis and James Hayhurst.
● MD Communications powers the campaign by amplifying it through media, social content and thought leadership, with the agency working entirely pro bono.
Insight
● A national Teacher Tapp survey of 7,000–10,000 education professional provided the backbone: hard data revealing the scale of separation disputes
spilling into schools and their impact on children.
Creative assets
● Toolkit for schools, developed with lawyers, psychologists and teachers, built around the “Five to Thrive” framework.
● Messaging house tailored for teachers, policymakers and parents.
● Case studies and expert voices (teachers, safeguarding leads, family judges, MPs).
Channels
● Media relations: national press, education trade titles, legal sector, parent focused media.
● Social media: LinkedIn-driven thought leadership and short-form content for teachers and policymakers.
● Events: Houses of Parliament launch, with MPs, faith leaders, media and campaign partners.
● Influencer engagement: securing support from legal leaders, headteachers, mental health charities, and children’s organisations.
Purpose-led track record
● Builds on The Parents Promise’s 2023 success in securing HR policy reforms at major UK employers, reaching 600,000+ workers.
Impact ambition
● Put separation on the agenda as a safeguarding issue in schools.
● Encourage schools to adopt policies, training and safeguarding leads.
● Create a national conversation about co-parenting and conflict-free classrooms.
