When couples separate, children are often caught in the cross-fire. When contact is stopped as a weapon, children can suffer too. If they are additionally saying different things to each parent, they feel the need to appease and comply and have learned what they feel and want doesn’t matter. This is not a good outcome for children. Court applications are up between 27% to over double in some courts since this time last year. Meanwhile, family mediation – for which legal aid is still available – has fallen off a cliff. Why? It’s been shown again and again it produces better outcomes for children and families. The Court is getting us to mediate at Court with two other mediation services on the First Appointment of these Children Act Applications. It would have been better and cheaper to mediate before proceedings are issued, as is required by the pre action protocol, which is being ignored. Many of these cases are mediated successfully and then the whole Application was unnecessary, unless to bring a parent to mediation to talk it over.
Why Focus Mediation?
- We are accredited experts, dedicated to mediation
- We use experienced lawyer mediators for financial cases
- We have specialist mediators who can see your children so their wishes and feelings can inform your decision-making
- We offer legal aid if you qualify financially
Most people just want to sort things out and we facilitate that, at a modest cost – which you share if you don’t get legal aid.