Mediation for Real Life
You have heard about Mediation and how it can be used to settle family law disputes out of the Courtroom, but how does it work in practice?
Below are two real life examples of how Mediation has helped couples to achieve solutions where they were unsure of how proceed.
Resolving Finances
Recently a privately paying couple’s marriage broke down and they approached us for Family Mediation. They wanted information about the divorce process and assistance in sorting out a financial settlement. Both had concerns about whether mediation was right for them. The wife was concerned about how little visibility she had over her husband’s financial situation, particularly his pensions, and the husband was concerned that him having taken the role during the marriage of manager of their financial situation, could back-fire on him in some way.
Both were fearful of the outcome. The situation was carefully assessed by the Mediator, and all concerned decided to progress to mediation. In mediation the mediator was able to help the parties to gather and look at the financial disclosure, ask appropriate questions of one another, explore options, hear one another’s perspectives and reach a solution.
Both parties said they felt satisfied that what they arrived at, gave each of them the ability to move forward independently, and considered all the factors that each had raised. Both said it was a respectful process that ended up costing them far less than Solicitor negotiation would have done.
Resolving Child Arrangements
A recent case concluded successfully, whereby the parents of two children, arrived not able to agree on how to deal with the fact that the children did not want to spend time with their dad. Dad was frustrated and looking to apply to the court but was willing to give mediation a try.
Mum did not want the matter to go to court and was relieved to be eligible for legal aid for mediation because of her financial situation. This meant that Dad also got his assessment and first mediation session free.
Across two sessions, with both the parents’ co-operation and the mediator’s skill, they were able to explore the reasons for the breakdown, and to address what each parent could do to support the re-establishment of contact.
As parents they felt that the improvement in their parental communication was a significant factor in enabling Dad to re-establish contact with his children and would help them in future years as they navigate any further difficulties.
A Flexible Process
Mediation is a very flexible process, and you don’t even need to be in the same room as each other if that is a concern. We can also offer child inclusive mediation where the voice of your child can be heard as part of the decision-making process.
If you would like to speak to one of our experts about giving mediation a try, then please get in touch and we can talk you through the options. The first stage is for each of you to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting, known as a MIAM, where you will discuss your situation and what you are trying to resolve.
Why Choose Venters for your Mediation?
Unlike many Mediation Practices, all of our qualified mediators are authorised to provide both privately funded and Government funded, legally aided mediations.
Unlike only privately funded mediation services not only have all our mediators passed the additional and rigorous external tests necessary to undertake Government Funded work, but this Practice has also satisfied the Government agency, known as the Legal Services Commission that we have the quality and administrative procedures in place to satisfy the superior quality standards demanded by the Government, something not all mediation providers are able to offer.
If you are eligible for Legal Aid, then your partner also receives their MIAM and first mediation session for free. We can discuss your eligibility in our first meeting.
If you wish to give Mediation a try please get in touch and we will call you back as soon as possible.
