Family Mediation
What is Mediation and how can it help my family?
You may feel that you should be able to reach an agreement outside of the court process, but you just need some help to get there. If so, mediation can work for you and your family because the process is as robust as that followed by the court. It is simply another method of settling a dispute or disagreement. You both decide the outcome together, rather than the judge, but with the same investigation of the issues and full disclosure.
How Does It Work?
One of you will contact The Mediation Space and we will send each of you a preliminary confidential document to complete with your details. You will then both individually see the mediator and, in our unique two-stage MIAM, see our psychotherapist in a separate individual and confidential meeting. We will then assess whether your matter is suitable for mediation and what further ongoing therapeutic support is required for the mediation process.
If you both confirm that you wish to continue and, the matter is suitable for mediation, then you will be sent the Agreement to Mediate and the first of the joint mediation meetings will take place. Sometimes we recommend that joint meetings can only take place with the psychotherapist present to support the process.
How Long Does Mediation Take?
There are commonly 3 or 4 meetings which last 90 minutes. You may have more, or fewer meetings and, in addition, want us to draft letters to Experts such as Pension Experts or Business or Property Valuers. The mediator will then draft the proposed agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) for your solicitor to see. Our illustration of costs is based on this timescale.
Will I Also Need A Solicitor?
We suggest that you retain your own solicitor to advise you at the outset of the mediation and as negotiations progress. You may need them to assess the extent and accuracy of any financial documents and approve the Memorandum of Understanding. They can then convert this into a Consent Order to be endorsed by the court.
What Issues Can Mediation Deal With?
The mediation process can be used for all types of family cases, married and unmarried and same sex couples. It may be used for property and money disputes or disputes concerning arrangements for the children. Sometimes the children are also seen in a separate meeting. Your relationship does not need to be amicable or the issues straightforward. We can deal with the difficult and the complex.
Mediation Statistics
— Law Society Gazette, 13 October 2021
£800,000
in government allocated funds to mediation schemes which helped over 2,000 families in August 2021.
77%
Government backed cases that reached whole or partial agreements by October 2021.
130
Family Mediation Council vouchers distributed per week on average.
Get in touch now
enquiries@themediationspace.co.uk
5th Floor, 30-31 Furnival Street
London EC4A 1JQ