Answer

Mediators are trained to:

• Listen and help you both to work out what has to be dealt with.
• Discuss what your options might be and what might work best for the future.
• Make sure you both have chance to speak and be heard.
• Provide any legal information needed to help your discussions or confirm when you need to consult a family lawyer.
• Tell you when you might need further independent advice on matters such as pensions.
• Ensure decisions are made jointly, are fair for both of you, for any children involved, and for your family circumstances.

When you reach agreement, the mediator will put it in writing and make sure you’re all clear about what it means.

Answer

If you’re on a low income you may be able to get legal aid to help pay for one or more of:

• The Mediation Information & Assessment Meeting (MIAM)
• Mediation sessions
• Legal help in support for mediation

If your case isn’t suitable for mediation, in some circumstances you might get legal aid for other sorts of legal help.

Legal aid may be available to one or both of you and each person will be assessed separately. Even if only one person qualifies for legal aid, both will have the fee for the MIAM and the cost of the first full mediation session covered.

Answer

All mediators are trained to help parents to think about the ways they can support their children. They can also provide information about how children can be supported when parents separate.

Some mediators are also qualified to see children and young people separately as part of a parental mediation process.

The Family Mediation Council’s Code of Practice requires that all children and young people aged 10 and above should be offered the opportunity to have their voices heard directly during the Mediation, if they wish. Your mediator will explain exactly how this might work and whether it is appropriate when you meet to consider offering your children the opportunity of consulting directly with a mediator.