Answer

Family mediators are there to help you to reach decisions about things that are important for you and your family. They can help you to find a way to plan for the future and to agree what will work best for you without having to go to court. That can save you time, money and stress.

Mediation provides you with the space and time to think about what is most important for your children and for the whole family. You can work out how arrangements for your children will work best and think about what is going to be important for your children as they grow up.

Regardless of whether you are a parent or not, mediation can help you deal with your money, the options you may have about where you will live, and planning your future finances.

Answer

If the first meeting (MIAM) goes well and you all agree to try mediation, you will book mediation sessions. It usually takes between three and five meetings to come to agreement, depending on what you need to sort out.

The mediator will usually see you and your ex-partner together, although you should be offered the choice to see the mediator separately if you need to.

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.