Working Together for Children (WT4C): Wales Parenting Classes After Divorce
Working Together for Children (WT4C): What Welsh Parents Need to Know
If a Cafcass Cymru officer or a family court judge has directed you to attend a parenting programme, you'll be referred to Working Together for Children — known as WT4C. This is Wales's own programme, separate from the "Planning Together for Children" course used in England.
WT4C is designed to help separating parents understand how conflict affects their children and develop practical communication strategies. It is completely free when you're directed to attend by the court or a Cafcass Cymru practitioner.
What Happens During WT4C
The programme is delivered as a single four-hour interactive workshop, typically run online in a group setting with other parents going through similar situations. Separated parents are never placed in the same session — this is a strict safeguarding rule to ensure everyone can speak openly.
The session covers:
- How separation affects children emotionally at different developmental stages
- Recognising conflict patterns and how parental arguments create stress for children even when you think they can't hear
- Practical communication techniques for co-parenting — reducing tension in handovers, managing disagreements about routines, and keeping adult issues away from children
- Building a workable parenting plan that puts the child's daily needs at the centre
The workshops are delivered by accredited independent providers, such as Media Academy Cymru, working in partnership with Cafcass Cymru.
Who Gets Referred
WT4C is reserved for low-to-moderate conflict cases. If there are active safeguarding risks, domestic abuse allegations, or child protection plans in place, the programme will not be offered — those situations require specialist support, not a group workshop.
Referrals come from two routes:
- Cafcass Cymru practitioners can direct parents to attend after the initial safeguarding screening
- Family court judges can order attendance as part of case management
In both cases, your attendance is officially reported back to the court and your allocated Cafcass Cymru officer. Non-attendance will be noted and could affect how the court views your willingness to cooperate.
How WT4C Differs From England's Programme
| Feature | WT4C (Wales) | Planning Together for Children (England) |
|---|---|---|
| Administration | Cafcass Cymru + independent providers | Cafcass + contracted providers |
| Format | Single 4-hour workshop | Multi-session programme |
| Cost | Free when court-directed | Free when court-directed |
| Language | Available in Welsh and English | English only |
| Follow-up | 6-month post-completion contact | Varies by provider |
One notable feature of WT4C is the six-month follow-up — providers contact participants half a year after completion to evaluate whether the co-parenting dynamic has improved. This isn't a check-up that reports back to court; it's a quality measurement for the programme itself.
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What to Do After WT4C
The workshop gives you frameworks, but you still need to put them into practice. The Wales Child Custody & Parenting Plan Guide provides the templates and scheduling tools to turn what you learn in WT4C into a structured parenting plan — covering weekly routines, holiday splits, communication protocols, and handover logistics specific to the Welsh family court system.
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Download the Wales — Parenting Plan Starter Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.