What is Mediation?

Mediation is an alternate form of dispute resolution which aims to help parties to reach an agreement between themselves and avoid the need for court proceedings.

What is Family Mediation?

Family mediation deals with a whole spectrum of matters including:

• Separation

• Divorce

• Child arrangements

• Property

• Finance

Resolving matters through mediation is known to have many benefits, for example it can help to:

• Promote better communication and cooperation between couples

• Reduce conflict

It also enables people to retain control over their decisions, and overall it is usually more time and cost-effective than court proceedings.

It is important to note that mediation is a pre-requisite for all court proceedings relating to child arrangements and matrimonial finances (unless an exemption applies).

Family Mediation, alongside all other forms of mediation, is conducted by an independent trained mediator. The mediator will always remain neutral and not on either person’s ‘side’. The mediator will always uphold the principles of impartiality and confidentiality throughout the process.

How does it work?

In the first instance, a mediator will have individual meetings with both of the parties to enable the mediator to understand both perspectives on the matter in dispute. If the mediator then thinks that the issues could be resolved by mediation, both parties will be invited to attend a joint meeting.

Importantly, the mediator is not there to give parties legal advice. The mediator’s role is to facilitate effective discussions and negotiations between parties. The mediator’s aim is to support the parties in reaching an agreement which is satisfactory to each party.

Is it legally binding?

Any agreement made between parties at mediation is not legally binding. However, if both parties give consent, then the agreement reached in mediation can be made legally binding when both parties are certain they have found the best solution for their family.

What can we offer you?

At Ward Gethin Archer we believe we can help you find a satisfactory solution to your family issues, no matter how complex, through our professional and effective Family Mediation service. Our friendly and experienced Mediation Team can help you resolve any disputes.

A family breakdown can be a very upsetting and highly emotional time. Working together, we can help you find an agreement in a non-confrontational way. We help families find a solution that is right for them and will benefit any children involved.

We understand that not all cases will be suitable for mediation and that court proceedings may still be required. If this is the case, we are able to sign your Mediation Information & Assessment Meeting (MIAM) court form to reflect that mediation is not an appropriate form of dispute resolution.

The Family Mediation service is available at each of our offices: Chatteris, Dereham, Downham Market, Ely, Heacham, King’s Lynn, Swaffham and Watton. We are delighted to be able to help families who might otherwise not have easy access to mediation, as not all of these locations currently have other mediation services.

If you are a Solicitor or organisation wishing to refer mediation to us, please download our mediation referral form here (Word format) or here (PDF format).

If you are an individual wanting further information or to refer yourself to mediation, please contact Sarah Fairbrother on 01553 667250 or sarah.fairbrother@wga.co.uk

As Resolution members we are able to offer a useful factsheet on choosing the right process, which discusses your options when divorcing, dissolving a civil partnership or separating. You can download the factsheet by clicking here.

If you need any further details about Family Mediation then please contact Sarah Fairbrother at Ward Gethin Archer.