HOW DOES IT WORK?

If you think that Family Mediation could work for you, the first step is to make an appointment. Ideally, you will come together to the first appointment where we can all discuss how Family Mediation may help to deal with the issues in your particular circumstances. At the first appointment, we will also consider how you would fund mediation. The first appointment will not usually last longer than an hour.

Once the issues have been identified, we can arrange further sessions where I can help you to explore various options for resolving those issues. Depending on the nature and complexity of the issues between you, between 3 and 6 sessions may be necessary. Each session will last up to one and a half hours.

When mediation concludes, I can provide you with a written record of what has been discussed. This document is known as a Memorandum of Understanding. I will also prepare a summary of any financial information you have provided. You may then wish to take the Memorandum of Understanding to a solicitor who can use it to create a legally enforceable Agreement or Court Order.

If you are attending a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) you may feel that Court proceedings are unavoidable.  The purpose of the MIAM is to give you an opportunity to fully consider all the alternatives before Court proceedings begin.  You may attend a MIAM separately or together, depending on your circumstances.  

If at the end of the MIAM you still feel that Court proceedings are the only option, I will provide you with the FM1 form required by the Court.  Alternatively you may decide to try Family Mediation, in which case we will follow the procedure explained above.