Family Mediation
Change is not always an easy process, especially when it involves family. Securing time with your children is often the most pressing and emotional matter to be resolved and the financial consequences of a relationship breakdown can be difficult and complicated. Family mediation can provide a safe and structured environment for you to make decisions. It is more flexible and beneficial for children, less costly, and enables better family relationships for the future.
The role of the mediator is to help you consider your options and work out what is best for your personal situation. It provides the opportunity for you to stay in control and make decisions which are best for your family.
Where can mediation help?
Mediation can help in all matters of family conflict and disputes:
- Child arrangements and access
- Financial arrangements post separation
- Childcare costs and maintenance
- Disputes between different generations in the family
- Disagreements on important decisions and differing parenting styles
- Conflicts resulting from cultural differences
There are many other scenarios where mediation can help. It is the most effective way to improve and even re-establish communication.
Parents are usually the best people to make decisions about their children. However, when communication has broken down, agreeing on a decision can become difficult and take longer to resolve. Mediation can help both parties to explain their experience of the situation to each other. Families who start mediation will more often than not come to an agreement without having to go to court. The court process can be very long and the decisions are often out of your hands.
First step…
The first step in the mediation process, is to attend a Mediation Information & Assessment Meeting (MIAM). For more information please see MIAM.
Mediation has its own core principles which distinguish it from other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods. You can read more about the foundations of mediation here.