Family Mediation is a voluntary, confidential process that enables you and your former partner or family member to discuss the legal and practical issues you are facing.
Before mediation meetings can start each person must have their own private and confidential online meeting, called a MIAM (Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting). The MIAM will need to be with the same mediator who will taking the mediation process forward with you. After those meetings, if everyone wants to proceed, the first joint meeting can be booked.
The mediator will listen to the issues, facilitate discussions and assist you in resolving disputes that have arisen.
Any issues that you both agree. These can be legal, practical, communication or any concerns or worries you have.
The sessions focus on the issues, the information needed and exploring the options to work out what solutions may work best for you/the family.
The initial MIAM meeting is alone with the mediator. Joint meetings are face to face, with the mediator present at all times. If you have any concerns about being in a room with your ex, this should be discussed with the mediator at the MIAM meeting.
The mediator facilitates discussions. Sometimes this includes assisting with understanding the facts and information and helping with brainstorming alternatives and ideas. Our mediators are experienced in family law and can provide general information on the legal processes and options.
The mediator is impartial and can provide information but not advice. It is sensible to have legal advice during the mediation process, and before any agreements are endorsed into court orders so that you have advice on your rights.
The mediator can confirm any agreements reached at mediation in a Memorandum of Understanding. This is a without prejudice document that lawyers, with both of your agreement, can then turn into a binding court order if needed.
Our mediators are qualified to meet with children during the mediation process, presuming you both agree and the children are old enough to participate and want to. This enables us to bring the views of the children into the discussions we have and ensure their voice is heard as part of the decision-making process.
To give you both a broad idea, it takes on average between 3 and 6 meetings to resolve financial issues and similar to resolve arrangements for the children.
This a legal term meaning that you can have discussions and suggest ideas and proposals without them being referred to in any subsequent court proceedings. What we talk about in the mediation sessions cannot be shared with a Judge or in a court process unless you both agree.
CIM is Child Inclusive Mediation. Our mediators are qualified to meet with children during the mediation process if you both agree and the children are old enough to participate and want to. This enables us to bring the views of the children into the discussions we have and ensure their voice is heard as part of the decision-making process.
