FAMILY
Could Family Mediation Help Me?
Few people understand the full potential of Family Mediation. In fact, many people do not even realise this exists as an option. Separation or divorce is a frustrating, upsetting and confusing time of transition and change, involving many questions that people would rather not have to ask while they are grieving for a relationship lost, or concentrating on escaping from a very difficult time in their life.
Family Mediators exist to help you answer those questions and work your way through those issues, making ongoing arrangements and logistics far more straightforward and easier to handle.
What Happens to the Kids?
Family Mediation is a very good route to follow if you and your ex partner are unsure about continuing arrangements involving childcare and visitation but do not wish to begin a court battle to that effect. Mediators offer help, support and expert advice tailored to your unique personal circumstances that you can choose whether or not to follow. Their recommendations are not enforceable by law; they are simply specialists who serve as a neutral party providing impartial assistance to yourself and your ex partner. They are skilled at navigating delicate and sensitive situations, and no circumstance is harder to traverse in a way that both sides consider fair than that of access to their children, so if you have reached an impasse with your ex, there is no need to take the matter before a judge if you have a mediator to hand to assist you.
Wider Family Matters
Of course, the end of a relationship may not simply affect you, your ex partner and your children. Things don’t need to be messy, however. Family Mediators can also help members of an extended family to keep in touch and visit one another simply and easily, even after divorce or separation.
Money Troubles
Another sensitive issue often comes in the form of money and property, and what happens to it should the worst happen. The questions of who owns what and which childcare costs are whose responsibility are common and painful ones in the wake of a breakup. Taking these matters to court is a lengthy and stressful process, and can often prove so costly that it almost defies the point of utilising this method to fight for what you believe is yours financially. The fair division of assets and belongings is also an area of expertise for Family Mediators, so if you’re struggling to decide what belongs to whom as you split your possessions, allowing a specialist to offer their advice can often make things much easier to manage.
Keep in Touch Without the Tension
Family Mediators are well versed at assisting in easy, civil communication between ex partners and other family members, so if you’re struggling to find the right words, they might just be the ones to turn to.
Change Happens
Circumstances change and develop – it’s simply a fact of life. Whether you or your ex partner relocates, or the change occurs when your children grow and leave home, Family Mediation provides a more flexible approach to dealing with adjustments in your life and the lives of your family.
When is Family Mediation Required?
Separating couples can approach a Family Mediator of their own accord if they so wish, but there are also circumstances in which people applying to the courts will be required to attend sessions. If you intend to take legal action about any issues or changes involving the jurisdiction or guardianship of a child, parental responsibilities, any activities that one or both parents have been legally ordered not to undertake or other similar matters, it is very likely that you will be ordered to attend Family Mediation before your case progresses any further in court.
When Shouldn’t I Apply for Family Mediation?
In most circumstances, Family Mediation is a highly sensible choice for yourself, your ex partner and your other family members. However, there are times when it should not be attempted. These include occasions where a relationship has a history of domestic violence or when a child who would otherwise be involved in the mediation process is the subject of a Child Protection Plan.
How Do I Apply for Family Mediation?
Getting in touch with a Family Mediator is straightforward and stress free. It’s always a good idea to seek out a specialist that is within easy travelling distance of both yourself and your ex partner, but besides this recommendation, the choice is yours.
If you are considering moving forward with Family Mediation, simply get in touch with DPP Law’s expert Family Mediators on 0333 200 5859. You can contact them any time of day or night all year round, so there’s no need to hesitate. Call today and let one of their friendly specialists talk you through your options.
