Shared Parenting Information Group (SPIG) UK

Top 10 books

• Cockett, M. and Tripp, J. (1994) The Exeter Family Study, Family breakdown and its impact on children. University of Exeter Press £ 9.50. Reports research carried out in Exeter in the early 1990's. Reviews existing research on children's adjustment to separation and divorce. Good bibliography. Excellent introduction to the issues. (summary)

• Depner, C. and Bray, J. (eds) (1993) Non-residential Parenting: New vistas in family living. Sage £ 19.95. Collection of nine academic articles on the theme of non-resident parenting. Distinguished contributors. (review)

• Folberg, J. (ed) (1991) Joint Custody and Shared Parenting. 2nd ed, The Guilford Press. £ 13.95. Collection of articles and extracts, also includes model parenting plans from USA. The first edition published in the USA in 1984 set the agenda for law reform and research on the effects of joint custody. This second edition brings it up to date and assembles in one volume many of the important works on shared parenting and joint custody. SPIG recommends this as an essential book. (review)

• Lamb, M. (with Sagi, A. eds), (1983) Fatherhood and Family Policy. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Slightly dated but still relevant. Lamb and Sagi have collected a number of important articles which set the scene and examine the twin themes of fatherhood and family policy.

• Maccoby, E. and Mnookin, R. (1992) Dividing the Child: Social and legal dilemmas of custody. Harvard University Press. Major review of policy on divorce and child custody. Also reports authors' research carried out in California in mid 1980's involving a sample of 1,100 families. It takes a line against shared parenting / joint physical custody, but is still important because it represents some of the most up to date research we have. British edition published December 1994.

• Mitchell, A. (1985) Children in the Middle: Living through divorce. Tavistock. There is a popular belief that children are happier if their parents separate than if they continue to live in a family where the parents argue or fight. This book shows that children do not share that belief. They would prefer to keep their parents together, even if they do not get on with each other. From this research an abiding impression remains of young people who have lost some of their childhood and have grown up sad and bewildered. Separation might have been the right remedy for the parents, but not for the children. "My mum didn't understand how I felt - she was too busy being angry". Definitive British research on children and divorce.

• Schaffer, H. R. (1990) Making Decisions about Children. Blackwell. Excellent summary of current psychological theories of child development and child care.

• Wallerstein, J. and Blakeslee, S. (1989) Second Chances; Men, women and children a decade after divorce. Foreword by Anthony Clare. Bantam Press, Transworld Publishers Ltd. Biographical style report on the effects of divorce on children and families following up the sample studied in 'Surviving the Breakup'.

• Wallerstein, J. and Kelly, J. (1980) Surviving the breakup; How children and parents cope with divorce. UK edition, Grant McIntyre. Ground breaking classic study, which reported the effects of divorce from a child's point of view. Important.

• Wyld, N (1994) When parents separate; a handbook of law and practice. Children's Legal Centre. Handy summary of policy, law and practice. Clearly written and well annotated.