Child to Parent Abuse:

Supporting parents and professionals.

PEGS aims to reduce the impact of CPA by helping parents, training frontline professionals, impacting policy and raising awareness.

PEGS Conference – Now Available On Demand!
Couldn’t attend live? You can now view the PEGS Conference online, on demand! The event, live-streamed from Shrewsbury, is now available now!

Offer includes; full access to the digital resource bag, complete on-demand streaming of all previous PEGS conferences and exclusive PEGS materials and bonus resources.


Purchase a ticket!

Since 2020, PEGS has managed 10,019 successful referrals.

In the past four years we've had:

20,064 parent contacts

9,535 one to one calls

9,098 drop in sessions

7,605 meetings

2,300 in the peer support group

None of this would have been possible without your support.

Support PEGS

What is PEGS?

PEGS is a social enterprise set up to support parents, carers and guardians who are experiencing Child to Parent Abuse (including those with adult offspring). We don't directly work with the child displaying the behaviours but have a network of partners whose expertise lies in this area.


We also train frontline professionals to recognise and effectively respond to CPA, and work with national and regional organisations to develop and implement policies.

Learn more about PEGS

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What is CPA?

Child to Parent Abuse is where a child (of any age) displays repeated abusive behaviours towards a parental figure. This abuse may be physical, verbal, economic, digital, coercive or even sexual - and it's thought to occur in at least 3% of UK homes, although the real figure could be much higher.


CPA is not 'normal' challenging behaviour experienced by most parents. It causes parents to feel fearful, isolated and like they're treading on eggshells, forces them to leave their careers and change their routines and lifestyles, and has a profound impact on families.

Understanding CPA

How can we help?

We've developed a range of virtual services for parents to enable access from anywhere in the UK, alongside training and policy consultancy for organisations looking to recognise CPA, improve their responses to it, and support those impacted by this type of abuse.

Information for parents Information for professionals

A letter from our founder

Dear Parent,


I see you; I know you’re there; I know the despair, the hurt and upset you are feeling. I know the feeling of blame, the guilt and the constant searching for answers and reasons. I know the sleepless nights, the worry about keeping your family safe, the struggle of trying to hold down employment. I know the looks and comments you get from family, friends and professionals, the tug you feel in your heart. I know that horrific pain that is running through you. I know how you hate yourself when you have thoughts of asking services for help or even to have your child placed with them. I know the failing you feel and how you are trying to survive each day without incident or trauma. I know you feel so isolated and alone even if you do have support around you. I know you’re doing the best you can in a situation where you have nowhere to turn. I know this is not your fault and that you are not to blame.


How do I know this? Because I was you. I was being abused by my child. I had all of those feelings and more. Accepting my child's behaviour was abusive was not easy or something I even wanted to consider, but this was the reality. Things will not always be this tough, things can improve and you as a family will find a safe way that works for you.


Right now, you may feel that nobody understands and that your situation is beyond help or support. I promise you it is not. You are not alone. I hear you. I will listen, help and act alongside you if needed.

PEGS was started to help those going through similar situations of extreme difficulty and worry.


PEGS is here for you, created out of trauma but going forward with love, passion and determination to see change.


All my love

xxx


More on how PEGS can help
  • Parent J

    A really warm and friendly person, who is extremely passionate about

    what she is doing and shows great empathy for everyone’s situation.

    In 6 years of working with different professionals, she was the first to

    really get it!!

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  • Parent S

    Thank you so much, I can't put into words how much you have helped me. I was very low and desperate when I found PEGS , now not only do I feel more confident and happier, my son also appears happier and less angry and our relationship is improving again. At the start I wouldn't have thought that possible.

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Stay up-to-date with the latest news from PEGS

By PEGS Admin June 15, 2026
Child to Parent Abuse organisation founder awarded MBE The founder of a social enterprise which has supported thousands of parents impacted by abusive behaviours from their children has been awarded an MBE. Michelle John, originally from Pembrokeshire in Wales but now based in Shropshire, was among the names announced for the prestigious accolade in the King’s Birthday Honours List this year. In 2020, Michelle set up not-for-profit organisation PEGS with the aim of supporting parents and carers, training professionals, influencing local and national policy, and raising awareness of Child to Parent Abuse – which is thought to affect up to one in ten households in the UK. Since then, she has grown a team of experts who have trained police, social workers, teachers and many other professionals to better recognise the signs of CPA, support parents, and signpost to specialist organisations. In addition, Michelle set up a range of parent-focused initiatives including daily practitioner-led online sessions, a Facebook peer support group which now has 3,300 members, and one-to-one offerings for those at highest risk. PEGS launched a CPA Covenant for employers in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions, only the fourth such covenant to be backed by the Government, and Michelle has advised everyone from the Home Office to Channel 4 and the BBC on CPA – the latter for storyline on Hollyoaks and EastEnders. Her work has seen CPA covered by journalists across television news programmes, national newspapers and magazine, and regional press and radio, and she’s received numerous awards both in the UK and internationally. Michelle, whose MBE was awarded for Family Support and Advocacy, said: “This honour is also shared with the parents who have trusted me along the way: they drive me, inspire me and I will always stand with them. “I feel proud, privileged and very grateful – and I’d like to thank everyone who has supported me and PEGS along the way. There is much more to come for PEGS, and we will continue to work every day for the parents and carers who have been or continue to be impacted by CPA. “There is so much to reflect on from the journey of the last six years, and there have been many highlights and challenges along the way. I am sure there will be many more in the future – although being told I’d received an MBE will always remain a truly incredible moment that I’ll remember forever!” For more information about us, visit www.pegsupport.co.uk or search for 'PEGS' on social media!
By PEGS Admin June 10, 2026
A day in the life of a Volunteer Programme Lead and Training Facilitator at PEGS!
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