Family
Without having to resort to going to court and asking a judge to make the decision for you, a family mediator may assist you in formulating plans for the future and determining jointly what would work best for your family.
When your life takes a turn for the worst, such as when you get a divorce or separate from your spouse, a Mediator can assist you in reaching agreements with one another regarding matters of significance to you and your family.
Mediation
Is significantly less taxing, much more expedient, and much more cost-effective than going to court, and hiring legal representation
Assists you in making arrangements about your children, your property, and your finances
Allows you to maintain a greater degree of influence over the future of your family and provides assistance in prioritising your child’s interests.
It makes it easier for all of you to transition smoothly into the next phase of your lives.
Is a method that is successful, as evidenced by the fact that consensus was obtained in more than 70 percent of the cases.
After a breakup, it can be challenging to communicate with your former spouse at all, let alone in a way that allows you to come to an understanding with regard to what is in the best interest of your children.
If you are a parent, it is in the best interest of your children for you and your former spouse to work together to attempt to agree the way forward. However, this can be difficult to accomplish on your own. If you are a parent, this is something that you should try to do with your former partner.
Family mediation at UK Family Mediation Service Slough offers you with a protected and supported environment in which to work out the most beneficial arrangements for your children, taking into account the things that are going to be significant to them as they get older. It also affords you the opportunity, along with the required space and time, to reflect on the issues that are of utmost significance to both you and your children, as well as to your family as a whole.
Mediation can assist you in reaching an agreement over how to divide what you have, where you will reside, and how your future financial matters will be handled, regardless of whether or not you have children.
When Is the Right Time for Me to Try Family Mediation?
If you are in need of assistance in working things out, you should get in touch with a divorce mediation attorney right away. Even if you have been divorced for some time or if your case has already been heard in court, mediation may still be able to assist you reach a resolution to your dispute.
In most cases, you will not be able to take your case to court until you have first investigated whether or not mediation may be of assistance to you. In the event that you are unable to demonstrate that you have given it some thought, the court may decide to halt or delay the proceedings until you have done so.
After you have located a mediator, the first thing you should do is participate in a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting, also known as an MIAM, to determine whether or not the process will work in your favour. You might be surprised to find out that it is the case; we are aware that whenever both former partners go to see a mediator for an MIAM, three quarters of them choose to go on to mediate. This occurs in spite of the fact that many people don’t know anything about compromise before the conference, or believe that their partner is so unreasonable that intervention will never work.
You will be required to show the judge that you have attended an MIAM and that you have considered mediation and any other sector has led before going to court, unless certain circumstances mean that you are exempt from this requirement. If you believe that your case is not appropriate for the mediation process, you will be required to show the judge that you have done so.
At any point during the mediation process, you are free to make the decision to seek the assistance of an attorney if you believe that would be beneficial to you. It is possible that you could qualify for financial assistance in the form of legal aid.
Meetings for Mediating Disputes
You will schedule mediation sessions if the initial meeting (MIAM) goes well and you all decide that you want to give mediation a shot. Depending on the complexity of the issues that need to be resolved, reaching a consensus often takes between three and five meetings to accomplish.
In most cases, the mediator will meet with both you and your former partner together; but, if you feel the need to do so, you should be given the option to meet with the mediator individually.
What Exactly Is the Role of the Mediator?
Mediators receive instruction to:
Listen, and assist you both in figuring out what it is that has to be addressed.
Talk about the several paths you could take and determine which one might be most beneficial for the future.
Make sure that each of you get a chance to speak and that your voices are heard.
Give any information that may be required to make your discussions more productive.
Inform you of any potential times when you may require additional independent guidance on things such as pensions.
Make sure that any decisions that are made are made by the both of you, are fair to any children who are involved, and take into account the dynamics of your family.
When you have reached a consensus, the mediator will write out the terms of the agreement and make sure that everyone understands what it entails.
Are We Obligated to Follow Through With the Decisions We Make?
The decisions that you come to on their own are not legally binding in any way. However, you have the ability to seek a court to turn what you’ve decided into a consent order that is legally binding. Your mediator will be able to describe what this is and walk you through the steps necessary to obtain a consent order.
This application to the court requires payment, and your mediator will be able to give you with information regarding the cost involved. If you apply for legal aid, you can become eligible for free legal advice and assistance with this matter. UK Family Mediation Service Reading
Can I consult an attorney to determine whether or not the proposed arrangement is in my best interests?
The majority of persons who participate in mediation believe that having legal counsel is helpful to them throughout the process. You are free to make these arrangements at any time, and the mediator may even suggest that you do so if the topics you are discussing pertain in some way to a legal matter. Your mediator should be able to provide you with information on local family lawyers and guidance on how to select one. You may be eligible for free legal counsel during the mediation process if you acquire legal aid for the mediation process.
What Are You Going to Do if Things Don’t Go According to Plan Afterward?
If your circumstances change and the arrangements aren’t working out, you have the option of going back to the mediator to alter the agreement that was originally made.
If you have formed an agreement that is legally enforceable and someone else does not adhere to it, you should think about whether or not it is possible to resolve the issue with the assistance of a mediator. In the event that it is not, it is possible to have the courts enforce it.
