Are you or your partner looking for a more amicable and less costly way to make arrangements for your children or for your money following separation or on divorce?
Research shows that mediation is often the best way for families to resolve conflicts. Unfortunately, too few people know about it, and end up locked in angry disputes that have far-reaching consequences for them and for their children.
What Is Family Mediation?
Family mediation puts you in control, with the help and support of highly trained professionals who can help you make decisions about your future.
It can help you to make constructive decisions together rather than asking someone else to decide what should happen to your children or your money.
At Timms, we support people who are separating or divorcing by helping them understand the options that are available to them and their family; enabling them to find solutions to the issues that they feel need to be resolved without the need for lengthy and costly court proceedings.
Mediators are trained to help resolve disputes over all issues faced by separating couples, or specific issues such as arrangements for any children.
Working With A Mediator...
Not everyone is ready for mediation at the same stage in separating, so the mediator needs to find out whether it is suitable for both of you.
A mediator will meet with you and your partner together, and will identify those issues you can’t agree on and help you to try and reach agreement.
Mediators are neutral and will not take sides, so they cannot give advice to either of you. They will usually recommend that you obtain legal advice alongside the mediation process and will guide you as to when this should happen.
Mediators often work with other experts, such as counsellors or financial advisors, to make sure that any proposals are right for you and your family and will work.
Further meetings will be scheduled, during which you may work on communication issues, renew arrangements for children, exchange financial information and consider options. The mediator may suggest other help, such as financial advice or support for your children.
Between meetings you may wish to meet with your lawyer for advice. Once you have proposals you both find acceptable the mediator will prepare a summary of them together with a summary of the financial information which will be sent to each of you to discuss with your lawyers.
After you have both received legal advice and if you are both still happy with the proposals, the lawyers will convert the summary into a legally binding document.
If you have any questions regarding mediation, or any other family law related topics. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at a.rose@timms-law.com or via phone on 01332 364436. Alternatively, visit the family law section of our website here.
