Online Divorce Mediation is a fast-growing service built around the needs of people requiring mediation, where face-to-face contact may be difficult for a range of reasons.
Some of our mediators are able to offer you an online service through online platforms available to them and to yourselves, including Skype and FaceTime.
Online MIAMs
We are happy to encourage this service for the individual and confidential pre-mediation meetings or MIAMs, where time might be of the essence and geographical distance a challenge and help them set up a Skype account if they do not already have one. It is very easy.
We find that many of our clients work full-time and prefer these one-hour sessions in the early evening, from the comfort of their own homes. We are very happy to accommodate this need.
We are also very happy to offer this service where it is very clear that mediation is not suitable BUT our client is still required by law to attend a MIAM (mediation information and assessment meeting) before making their court application
Online Divorce Mediation
So far as mediations are concerned, we always prefer to mediate face-to-face rather than online unless there are specific and exceptional circumstances, of which there may be many, where an online service might mean the difference between being able to mediate or not being able to mediate.
Examples
We offer international Online Divorce Mediation where one of our clients lives in the UK and other person lives abroad.
Online Mediation may be the only possibility where there is a disability which restrict our client’s mobility.
It might mean a significant saving in costs and time that justifies Online Mediation rather than face-to-face mediation where funds are extremely tight bearing in mind that legal aid is not available for online mediation (yet). It may also mean that the mediator can keep their own costs down in not having to rent a venue, which they can pass onto the client.
In other situations, online mediation may make it more manageable for the mediator and clients especially where the mediation is likely to be very emotional, with a significant number of emotional triggers.
Being able to mediate from their own home can ensure that our clients feel more relaxed, in familiar surroundings and therefore more empowered to manage the emotional content of mediation so that they can focus on practical decisions they both need to make.
Online mediation resources
If we do offer Online Mediation we also offer a Guide and checklist to ensure that the mediator and our clients are properly prepared when the time comes.
There is also a specific Mediation Agreement incorporating a section about online mediation provided by the Family Mediation Council in their guide to online mediation.
If we do decide to mediate online it is very important that these mediations are carefully managed by the mediator with the full cooperation and collaboration of the clients from a technical point of view.
Also, due to the fact that no one is in the same room, the whole process of Online Mediation relies on the clients integrity and trust that they will not abuse the process by recording it for example and will respect the principles and terms set out in the Mediation Agreement including the important principle of confidentiality.
Despite the challenges with Online Mediation, some mediators within the Compass Resolution network have developed a speciality and growing business in this area.
Therefore, if you believe that online mediation may work for you please contact us to discuss your circumstances and needs.