Relate, the UK’s leading relationship support charity, today launches an exciting competition which calls on budding young artists to draw or paint their favourite family moments. There are some great family-friendly prizes up for grabs and the winners will be invited to a prestigious reception in London.

Families today come in all shapes and sizes. This new art competition aims to give children and young people the chance to highlight the special moments that make every family unique, regardless of its set up. These ‘moments’ could include the arrival of a baby brother or sister, a special holiday with a new step mum or dad, or a favourite meal served up at Grandma’s – whatever sums up family for each young entrant.

Louise Blair of Relate West Surrey said: “We want to celebrate the fact that strong families come in all shapes and sizes nowadays. When it comes down to the moments that matter, it’s the quality of our relationships that get parents and kids through, rather than how a family is set up. We are taking part in this exciting national art competition to help to spread this message through the eyes of children and young people. We also want people to know that Relate West Surrey is here to help people build strong family relationships which go the distance in good times and bad.”

The competition forms part of Relate’s national ‘Being Parents Apart’ campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the problems parents face once they decide to separate and what help is available to deal with issues like explaining it to the kids and coming to an agreement about contact arrangements.

Entries are invited from children and young people aged 0-16. Artwork can include drawings or paintings and can be posted or emailed. The competition will be judged by Relate’s Chief Executive Ruth Sutherland, Relate Patron and child and adolescent clinical psychologist Professor Tanya Byron and children’s author, Cathy Cassidy. Prizes include signed copies of Cathy Cassidy’s books, as well as tickets for family days out. There are three age group categories – under 5s, 6-10s and 11-16s.

Cathy Cassidy, author of The Chocolate Box Girls series, is one of the judges of the competition. Cathy said, “I’m delighted to be taking part in Relate’s art competition. This is a great opportunity for all those talented children and young people out there to get creative and tell the world about their favourite family moments. I write about families of all shapes and sizes in my books for children and, like Relate, want to get the message out there that all families are unique and cool.”

For more information on how to enter, go to www.relate.org.uk/policy-campaigns/our-campaigns/being-parents-apart/art-competition. The competition opens today (Thursday 6^thFebruary) and closes on Wednesday 19^th March.

Parents who are dealing with separation can visit www.relate.org.uk/separation for guidance on managing the practical and emotional realities of separation. People can also call 0300 100 1234 or contact their local Relate Centre to find out more about our services, like mediation, face-to-face counselling, courses for parents and children and young people’s counselling. The website also offers parents who are worried about their relationships with their teenagers the chance to chat to a Relate counsellor online for free.

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