We Support OnePlusOne

OnePlusOne is a leading research charity that has been investigating what makes couple relationships work or fall apart for more than 40 years. Penny Mansfield, director of OnePlusOne, tells us a bit more about the organisation.

Relationships matter and investing in them is investing in families, children and the employees of tomorrow. It’s fundamental to building a thriving society and resilient economy. Good relationships keep families strong, healthy and productive. Poor relationships can damage mental health and physical wellbeing.
After four decades of academic research, OnePlusOne ‘s case for strengthening and supporting relationships is being accepted by the government as important, with MPs admitting in a parliamentary debate in January (2014) that it is ‘a public health issue.’

When the charity started in 1971, the relational landscape was changing. Divorce was increasing and the driving question was why, and how to manage the consequences.
Our message is to promote a culture where it’s perfectly normal to seek relationship help.

There is clear evidence that relationship problems cause profound stress for adults and children leading to poorer parenting and worse outcomes for the whole family.
Our work involves rigorous research into the science behind relationships.

We study all aspects of relationships including, everything from sex and intimacy, marriage, splitting up, becoming a parent and what makes committed relationships thrive.
We’re passionate about getting to the heart of what makes people tick, so that we can support people to form happier partnerships in which they can thrive. The most exciting aspect of OnePlusOne’s last decade of work has been our ability through digital technology to reach more than 800,000 men and women directly, not just with information, but with online services that offer real support 24/7.

In January (2014) we launched a new service Splitting Up? Put Kids First, for parting parents organise childcare arrangements. It’s a round the clock service online service that guides each parent through a series of steps to help them decide what each of them would like, while helping them reconcile any differences to reduce any negative impact on the couple’s child or children.

Nothing like it has been done before and our hope when developing it was that it will remove much of the bitterness involved in a break-up.