A COUNTY Durham family support group has issued an appeal for divorced or separated parents to plan their Christmas arrangements carefully.
The Durham and Darlington Family Mediation Service has urged families to include children in planning what happens during the holiday.
It has come up with a five-point plan to help to make Christmas a happy time for the 25 per cent of North-East families affected by divorce.
The service recommends that Christmas be regarded as a flexible time, new family traditions should be established for changing circumstances, children should be listened to, people should think creatively about how Christmas can be improved, and time should be devoted to helping keep a sense of perspective.
Project manager Stefan Klidzia said: "Christmas can still be a family time, but traditional assumptions about family life simply don't apply to many families today."
The service can be contacted on 0191-386 5418
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