Family Mediation

Family mediation is a process in which people involved in a family relationship breakdown, change, or dispute, appoint an impartial third person – a mediator – to assist them to communicate better with one another and to reach their own agreed and informed decisions.  ​

• Mediation offers a safe and neutral environment in which the participants can discuss matters directly with each other at their own pace, be heard by each other, and importantly be understood with the assistance of a trained professional. 

• The cost of mediation is significantly less than litigation.

• Mediation is a more streamlined and therefore quicker process than Court proceedings.

• Mediation is a child-focused approach, creating the right environment for participants to make informed decisions for their family.

• Mediation can be a positive and empowering experience, as participants have ownership of both the process and the outcome.

• Mediation is a confidential process, enabling participants to explore different options openly and without strategic concerns.                                            

Every participant's mediation process is different, however typically it takes between two and six joint sessions depending on the issues to be discussed, and whether they relate to children, finances, or both.

Yes. Mediation works well when the participants have legal advice from solicitors in the background. I encourage my clients to seek legal advice at appropriate stages in the mediation to ensure they are fully informed about their positions.  They can then use mediation as the arena to discuss their issues and reach agreement.

Family mediation is for anyone experiencing conflict in their family that needs to be resolved, whether they are:

• couples who wish to separate or divorce  (including same sex couples and civil partners);

• separating coupes who need to make arrangements for children, property or finances; or

• grandparents or other family members involved in family arrangements.   

• The mediator is a neutral and independent professional who helps the participants in the mediation to communicate with each other calmly and effectively. 

• They are trained in dealing with conflict, and accordingly are able to provide a safe and confidential space in which the participants can talk openly, be heard and be understood by each other. 

• The mediator helps the participants to focus on what is best for them and their family.

• They enable the participants to explore different options together, and to make their own decisions about the arrangements for their future.

• The mediator will also provide the participants with information about divorce and the other processes available, together with details of appropriate support networks.

Any proposals reached in mediation will not be turned into a binding agreement until the participants have each had the opportunity to seek advice on those proposals from a solicitor.