January usually sees a dramatic rise in the number of parents deciding to live apart as the various pressures that go hand-in-hand with the Christmas period act as a final straw for relationships.

Family Mediation Week is designed to raise awareness of the benefits of family mediation, a process that can help ex-partners agree what works for them, whilst avoiding the court process with all the stress, delay and cost it can bring.

Many parents can emerge from the festive period feeling defeated by the pressures on relationships and finances that have been highlighted during the holiday period.

In our experience parents in this position simply don’t know which way to turn. Their life-changing decision to separate brings with it so many tough questions:

·       Who lives where?

·       Where will the children live, and how will we make sure we each spend time with them?

·       How will we sort out money?

·       What about debts and pensions?

·       And even the family dog?

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Family Mediation Week shines a helpful spotlight on these tricky issues, offering separating parents information about their options as they look to make arrangements for parenting, property and finance.

Family mediation is a process where an independent, professionally-trained mediator helps you work these things out, enabling you to avoid courtroom confrontation. Professional mediators help empower you to create long-term solutions for your particular circumstances, rather than leaving it to a court to make decisions for your family.

We are specialist family mediators with a family lawyer background and we are also registered as part in the Ministry of Justice’s Family Mediation Voucher Scheme, which meets up to £500 of the costs of meetings for parents who need to discuss arrangements for children.

We offer free calls and online information meetings for anyone who would like to know more about family mediation, how it works and how it can help you and your family.

You can book a free call or an information meeting on our website www.familymediationandmentoring.co.uk

Or you can email us at hello@familymandm.co.uk or if it is easier, call us on 0800206 2258

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