Family Mediation Specialists
We offer you a FREE telephone consultation with one of our Mediators to discuss your needs
What is Mediation?
Family Mediation provides a safe environment for individuals to explore their issues of family breakdown. The process aims, with the assistance of an impartial, qualified Mediator to assist the parties to a point where they are fully informed such that they are enabled to make long term and practical decisions about their situations. Commonly these situations are related to financial issues with regard to division of property or other assets within the divorce or separation process, but may also relate to the arrangements for children
What is Mediation?
Family Mediation provides a safe environment for individuals to explore their issues of family breakdown. The process aims, with the assistance of an impartial, highly qualified Mediator to assist the parties to a point where they are fully informed such that they are enabled to make long term and practical decisions about their situations. Commonly these situations are related to financial issues with regard to division of property or other assets within the divorce or separation process, but may also relate to the arrangements for children
Are the decisions made in Mediation legally binding?
Once the individuals have made their decisions the Mediator will assist them in working through whether they are practical. The Mediator can then draft documents that may be taken to an independent Solicitor, where, if the parties choose, they can be put into a draft order that can be made binding.
How many sessions do we come to and how long does the process take?
The number of sessions depends upon the issues, at this service we are very keen to keep appointments to a minimum. We work in a very solution focused manner to keep costs down. If there are financial issues the Mediator may see you for around two or three sessions, but for issues only involving children it will more commonly be only one or two. The Mediator will work with the parties at a pace that they can manage. Completed mediation usually takes anything from 2 weeks to 4 months.
What is the cost involved for each individual?
Mediation is free for anyone who is eligible for legal aid (you can check out your own eligibility on the ‘Useful Links’ page). The Mediator will make an assessment at the first meeting to determine each party’s eligibility. If a party is not eligible for legal aid then that party pays separately on an hourly rate, this will be fully explained before Mediation begins or contact us for more information. In any event mediation usually costs less than a tenth of the cost of a court battle, and the feedback we have is that we are a highly cost-effective service.
Do I still need a Solicitor if I come to Mediation?
Not necessarily, however legal advice can still be a very important part of the process of divorce or separation and the Mediator will always recommend that before proposals are documented the parties each receive independent legal advice. The Mediator will be able to provide the individuals with information as to the legal process and the factors that they should be giving regard to, however the Mediator will not personally advise the individuals.
I’m not sure whether Mediation is right for us because I can’t seem to talk with my ex partner?
At the first individual meeting the Mediator will ask you some questions to try and understand the dynamics of your particular relationship. Mediation can help enormously with communication, however it is not always appropriate but as long as no-one is at risk of harm the mediator will provide the option of meeting in separate room from your ex-partner if absolutely necessary. At this service we find the model of ‘shuttling between clients’ extremely effective.
Thank you again for your help, I thought you did an excellent job and were scrupulously fair. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend you
The Mediator somehow managed to combine engagement with professional detachment and sympathy with objectivity, so that things progress but with less trauma than would otherwise be the case. I highly recommend the service.
I really appreciated how straightforward it was to go through the Mediation process. The Mediator recommended when the best time would be for me to take legal advice and in the end we sorted out our divorce and all the money for far less than if I’d just used a Solicitor. My Solicitor was excellent and had a lot of respect for the mediator so it all fitted in really well and at least now my ex and I are talking again