Family Mediation

Types of family disputes

• Separating Couples
• Maintenance
• ‍Access to children
• Dealing with difficult relatives
• Managing elderly relatives
• Power of Attorney
• Wills and inheritance
• Probate
• Financial Arrangements
• Sharing of Assets

How Does Family Mediation Work?

Family mediation offers a safe, confidential space for couples and families to resolve their disputes, make decisions together, and reach practical agreements without going to court. Whether you're navigating separation, parenting arrangements, financial matters, or extended family issues, our experienced mediators will guide you through the process. Above all else, Family Mediation is a constructive alternative to going to court.

The Process

Step 1: Agree to mediate

The first step in your mediation journey is for all parties to agree to mediate.

Step 2: Engage and meet your mediator

Your mediator may be someone who is referred to you by a friend, colleague or your solicitor. They will meet with you over the phone, in person or on-line to get a sense of your situation.

Step 3: Joint Mediation Sessions

A series of joint family mediation sessions are organised.

These sessions are held either in person or on-line and will ensure that: your voice is heard, key issues are identified; options to resolve them are explored with the aim of reaching practical and sustainable agreements

Step 4: Mediation Agreement

Once the issues identified have been resolved and you have reached an agreement, the mediator prepares the Mediation Agreement, which documents the details of what has been agreed.

Step 5: Legal advice and final steps

Mediation is a facilitative process designed to assist all parties reach a fair and sustainable agreement. It is recommended that before signing the agreement that legal advice is sought, especially where children, finances or property are involved or where the Agreement is to be made legally binding.

The benefits of Family Mediation?

• Faster
  There are no long delays in getting a mediation underway, so the issues are dealt with quickly and efficiently.
• Cheaper
  Because mediation is a fast process and there are no legal fees involved, the cost is much cheaper and more manageable.
• 100% Confidential
  The mediation process is run entirely in private so issues discussed and agreements reached are strictly confidential
• Self-determination
  All parties in a mediation have a voice and, unlike Court, are actively involved in coming up with the terms and conditions of the Mediation Agreement

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the more popular questions we get asked about Family Mediation

How long does a family mediation usually take to resolve?

That depends. The complexity of the issues, the willingness of the parties involved to negotiate, compromise and agree a way forward will influence the amount of time it takes to resolve a Family mediation. Typically, a family dispute can take between 3 and 5 sessions to resolve. Each of these sessions can last up to 2 hours.

Is Family Mediation an expensive process?

All parties involved in a mediation share the cost of mediation equally.

Just as mediation can save time, by getting to the heart of the issues quickly, mediation is a cost-effective process, for exactly the same reasons.

From the outset, your mediator will explain the cost of each mediation session and as there are no legal fees or hidden costs, you will know exactly how the mediation will cost you.