Forget the traditional model of love, marriage and kids, there is a new way of parenting these days - and it is called co-parenting.

The term has been used to describe joint parenting arrangements when couples separate or divorce.

But a new Channel 4 series called Parents to Be could be bringing a whole new meaning to the term.

Men and women who are not interested in being in a romantic relationship or who struggle to find a partner but are desperate to have children can take part in a match-making experiment to find the perfect partner.

The idea is simple. The TV series by production company Naked Television will match women who want to have a baby with men who share their desire to conceive and parent a child.

Hillingdon Times:

Co-parenting is the new thing, according to the Channel 4 series Parents To Be. Photo: Pixabay

But there's one radical difference to conventional parenting - the parents will have no romantic feelings for each other, even to start with.

It is essentially platonic parenting.

Production company Naked explained: "In an age when women and men are increasingly looking at alternative ways to start a family, ‘co-parent’ introduction apps and Facebook groups are proliferating, with over 70,000 UK co-parenting profiles registered online.

"However, co-parent matching across the world is currently unregulated and unvetted, with most websites simply allowing people to write profiles and contact each other independently.

Hillingdon Times:

Men who want to have a baby can take part in the TV series. Photo: Pixabay

"In Parents To Be, a team of world experts in child welfare and parenting are drawing up a comprehensive matching programme designed to help the potential co-parents assess each other fully for their suitability as matches.

"By providing comprehensive assessment and analysis for all the potential co-parents taking part, the series aims to take the guesswork out of finding the perfect parenting partner."

The programme's protocols will be reviewed before filming by Dr Reenee Singh, CEO of the Association of Family Therapists and co-director of the Tavistock Family Therapy and Systemic Research Centre.

Naked Television is now seeking men who are interested in taking part in the TV series.

If you would like more information, email: info@parentstobe.net