Change is never easy, especially when it involves the people you are closest to. Whether you’re going through a separation or facing challenges in communication, it’s completely normal to feel unsure about what to do next.
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; and it’s all happening when emotions are already running high.
This is where mediation can really help.
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.
How mediation works
Mediators don’t take sides or tell you what to do. They help you explore your options and talk things through in a way that feels constructive, even if things have been difficult between you.
You stay in control of the decisions. We are here to guide the conversation, help you both listen, speak, and understand each other more clearly. It’s your family, your future, and the aim is to find a way forward that feels fair and workable for everyone.
When 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.
Why choose mediation?
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 process, is to attend a Mediation Information & Assessment Meeting (MIAM). This is a one-to-one session where you can ask questions, learn how mediation works, and decide if it’s the right next step for you. 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.