It can be hard to know how to support a friend if their parents split
If your mate’s parents have split up, it can be hard to know what to say or how to help. Being a friend who can listen when someone wants to talk is a brilliant help. To enable that to happen, asking simple questions about their situation at home, like “how’s home?” or “are you finding your parents difficult” can indicate that you are available for them if they want and open the door for those conversations.
But you don’t have to have all the answers
The great thing is, you don’t need to have the solution or the magic words to solve their pain or their problems — just being there makes a massive difference. But there’s also something you can show them that could really help: Split Happens.
What is Split Happens?
Split Happens is a digital hub made by young people, for young people who are dealing with their parents breaking up. It was created by Your Direction, and amicable, a legal services tech company. And honestly? There’s nothing else quite like it. Even though around 4 million kids and teens in the UK have parents who live apart, there’s still not much support out there.
That’s why Split Happens is so cool. It’s full of useful resources, real-life stories, and videos where other young people share what they’ve been through. There’s even Yuni, an AI bot you can chat with to get answers to awkward questions you might not want to ask a teacher, parent, or even your best friend.
Check it out together and keep talking
But here’s the thing: while Split Happens is amazing, the most important thing is still… talking. When parents split, loads of young people bottle everything up because they don’t want to upset anyone or feel embarrassed. That’s where you come in. As a friend, the best thing you can do is listen. You don’t have to fix it or give advice — just give them space to get it out.
And hey, you don’t have to do it alone. You could check out Split Happens together. Watch some of the videos, scroll through the stories, or even ask Yuni a few questions. Then talk about what you think. It’s a great way to start conversations that your friend might find hard to begin on their own.
So, if you know someone whose parents have split, point them towards Split Happens. But more importantly — remind them you’re there, whenever they need to talk. Sometimes, being a good mate and really listening is the best support of all.