We offer a family mediation service fully accredited by the Family Mediation Council.

Many of our accredited family mediators are also members of the Family Mediation Association as well as Resolution org uk and offer legal aid family mediation for financial as well as parenting mediations.

Yes, all our family mediators are accredited and registered with the Family Mediation Council having had to successfully complete an Accreditation process which typically takes around 2 years, resulting in full accreditation, during which time their mediations are closely assessed.

If you are not satisfied with any family mediators work, and they are registered with the Family Mediation Council, you can make a complaint to this body, ensuring that the standard of work is kept high at all times.

So, when you choose your family mediation services make sure that your family mediator is accredited by the Family Mediation Council or working towards accreditation and registered with them.

Online mediation may be suitable in the following circumstances –

1. If you have severe time constraints, because of work
2. If geographical distance between you makes face to face meetings difficult
3. If one or both of you suffer from mobility disability
4. If time is of the essence such as an urgent court injunction is required
5. If we need to mediate with lawyers and/or other family professionals present
6. If you prefer not to be in the same room as each other
7. Just because it is convenient!

• Separation and divorce
• Financial Agreements
• Family Company and business partnership disputes
• Family inheritance disputes
• Cohabitation disputes
• Children’s living arrangements
• Child support
• Parenting plans
• Child removal from the jurisdiction
• A wide range of other family disputes

If you wish to have your MIAM online, please read this webpage all about preparing for you MIAM providing answers to many of your questions and complete and return the client form.

Would you also please complete and return to the mediator, your pre-mediation questionnaire which you will find on this webpage with some videos to support you.

If you take the time to do all this, you will significantly improve yours and the mediator’s preparation and the chances of a successful mediation

When you have booked your MIAM with your mediator please do the following –

1. If you are using Skype, please send a request to connect, to your mediator’s Skype address
2. If using Zoom, the mediator will email you a link just before the meeting starts
3. Go to the MIAMs webpage for answers to your questions
4. Complete and return the client form AND pre-mediation questionnaire, using the video series to support you. The questionnaire will provide invaluable information and help you prepare
5. The mediator will begin the MIAM by setting out a framework for the meeting and complete their MIAM assessment record during the meeting. This information is confidential although there are exceptions to this which the mediator will explain to you

If you wish to use online mediation to reach a complete financial agreement to include a division of capital and incomes, would you first please go to the Financial mediation services page where you will find answers to many of your questions.

Then would you please:

1. Watch the videos, read the guides and complete the financial disclosure booklet on the this webpage, returning this to the mediator before your first mediation session.
2. Watch the videos, read the guides and complete the monthly outgoings schedule on the this webpage, returning this to the mediator before your first mediation session.

If you wish to use Online mediation for your Parenting mediation please first go to the Parenting Services page where you will find answers to many of your questions.

Before your first online session please go to our video support series – How to create a shared parenting plan (coming soon), complete the following 3 documents and return them to the mediator –

1. Parenting plan
2. Children questionnaire
3. Parent questionnaire

We primarily use 4 main platforms:

1. Facetime if you and the mediator use Apple operating systems and devices. This is free and robust.
2. Skype which is free to download but you will need to set up an account which you can do in a few minutes
3. Zoom which is a video conferencing software. You will need to download a small file or app to you device. All you will have to do to join the video meeting is click on the link we send you.
4. Telephone which may require us to use a telephone conferencing service. No additional software is required for this.

We use a range of online platforms such at Skype, Zoom and WhatsApp.

Follow the Online mediation checklist and email the mediator if you run into difficulty with any aspect.

All you need is a computer and fast enough broadband. Our mediators who use online mediation are very experienced in taking our clients through what is needed to start online mediation, one step at a time.

We often find that the ‘younger folk’ in a family are very helpful when it comes to helping their ‘older folks’ set up their online mediation platform so please ask them.

You will need a reliable internet connection of at least 2Mbps. 4G mobile networks should also be fine if there is a good connection although video calls use up a lot of data so check your data plan.

Also, our mediators will give you the opportunity to try it out with them on you own before you start mediating.

If, for any reason, you experience technical issues with the video quality during the meeting, don’t worry, we can simply reschedule to meeting.

We have been offering Online video mediation since 2009! All our family mediators, who practice Online mediation, are fully accredited by the Family Mediation Council and practiced in online mediation. They all follow the FMC guide to Online video mediation which you will find on this webpage.

You can mediate from the comfort of your own home where you will not be overheard, with your favourite beverage in hand.

Because you are in your own environment, you may feel less apprehensive and able to think more clearly which is essential for mediation.

In practical terms, the mediator can share documents with you, on the screen and guide you around these.

Here are the main keys to successful online meetings –

• Read the mediation agreement and checklist before you begin
• Ensure that the broadband speed or mobile speed is fast enough. This will quickly become apparent and there are things you can do to help which you can discuss with the mediator
• Ensure that your immediate environment is free from clutter and is private so that you cannot be overhead
• Try to avoid interruptions
• Turn your mobile and landlines to silent mode
• Switch off sound alerts on your computer
• Ensure that your space is well lit so that everyone can see each other. Avoid sitting with any strong light source behind you
• Keep a hand free to write notes
• Ensure that the camera is at eye height and that you do not need to hold the device you are using. Your arms will be aching after a 1 or 2 hour meeting!