Family Mediation
Separation and family conflict are hard enough without a courtroom making them harder. Family mediation gives you a confidential, structured process for sorting out children, money and property, with arrangements shaped by the people who have to live with them rather than imposed by a judge.
Talk to Us in ConfidenceWhat family mediation covers
Family mediation deals with the practical questions that follow a separation or a family conflict. These are the areas we are asked about most often.
Separation and divorce
Working out the arrangements when a relationship ends.
Child arrangements
Where children live, time with each parent, schooling and holidays.
Financial support
Child maintenance and other ongoing financial arrangements.
International family matters
Cross border arrangements and relocation questions.
Grandparents and wider family
Contact and care arrangements beyond the immediate parents.
Elder care and guardianship
Care decisions and responsibilities for older relatives.
Inheritance and estates
Disagreements between family members over wills and estates.
Family business succession
Where family and business interests overlap.
For business and property matters, see our commercial mediation and civil mediation pages, or browse the complete list of dispute types.
Why people choose family mediation
Children come first
Mediation keeps the conversation centred on what works for the children, not on scoring points. Arrangements agreed by parents tend to last longer than orders imposed after a fight.
It costs a fraction of court
Two sets of family lawyers exchanging letters quickly runs into thousands each. Mediation is a shared fee per session, and most matters resolve in a handful of sessions.
It is private
Family finances and personal circumstances stay in the room. Nothing said in mediation can be repeated in court as evidence.
It is faster
The family court backlog means months between hearings. Mediation can usually start within days and often settles the main issues in a few sessions.
You stay in control
A judge decides on limited information at a fixed hearing. In mediation you build arrangements that fit your family's real life, including things a court could not order.
It keeps co parenting possible
If you have children together you will be making joint decisions for years. Mediation settles the dispute without burning the communication you will both still need.
The MIAM: where most people start
A Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting is a short first meeting, usually around 45 minutes, where the mediator explains how mediation works, hears what your situation involves and assesses whether mediation is the right route. It is just for you, not a joint session.
In England and Wales you are normally expected to attend a MIAM before applying to the family court about children or finances, unless an exemption applies, for example where domestic abuse is involved. If a solicitor or a court letter has sent you here, that is fine too: many people arrive at mediation because the process requires it rather than because they chose it, and a good number of them still settle. If mediation turns out not to be suitable, the mediator can sign the form you need for your court application, so attending is never wasted time.
Book a MIAM or ask us a question and we will tell you honestly whether mediation fits your circumstances.
Costs and help with fees
Family mediation is charged per session and the fee is normally shared between the two of you. We will always quote the figure before you commit, so there are no surprises.
There is help available. A government voucher scheme currently contributes up to £500 per family towards mediation sessions about child arrangements, subject to availability and eligibility. Legal aid also remains available for family mediation for people who qualify, which is unusual now that it has been withdrawn from most other areas of family law.
We can check both schemes for you during the first conversation.
Family mediation questions
What is a MIAM and do I need one?
A MIAM is a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting, a short first meeting where a mediator explains how mediation works and assesses whether it suits your situation. In England and Wales you are normally expected to attend one before applying to the family court about children or finances, unless an exemption applies. If mediation is not suitable, the mediator can sign the court form you need.
Is a mediated family agreement legally binding?
Not automatically, and it is better to understand this upfront. At the end of family mediation the mediator records what you have agreed in a memorandum of understanding. For financial matters, your solicitors can then ask the court to approve it as a consent order, which makes it legally binding. Arrangements for children are usually left flexible, because courts prefer arrangements that can adapt as children grow.
What does family mediation cost?
It is charged per session and the fee is normally shared. A government voucher scheme currently contributes up to £500 per family towards sessions about children, subject to availability, and legal aid remains available for eligible clients. We will quote the fee before you commit.
Do our children get a say?
They can do. Child inclusive mediation gives older children a chance to talk to the mediator separately, so their wishes are heard without them having to take sides. Whether it is appropriate depends on their age and the situation, and both parents must agree.
Will I have to sit in the same room as them?
Not if you do not want to. Sessions can run online, and the mediator can also work with each of you in separate rooms, moving between you. This is common where communication has broken down badly or there is tension in the relationship. You decide what you are comfortable with before the session starts.
What if they dominate the conversation or intimidate me?
Managing exactly that is the mediator's job. The mediator makes sure both of you are heard, keeps the discussion on track and will pause or change the format if one person is being talked over. If the mediator judges that an imbalance makes mediation unfair or unsafe, they will tell you honestly and the process will not go ahead.
What if we cannot agree, or the other person will not take part?
Mediation is voluntary, so nobody can be forced into the room. If the other person refuses, or you mediate and cannot agree, the mediator can sign the MIAM form so you can apply to court if you need to. Even a part settled mediation usually narrows the disagreement and makes the court process shorter.
Is family mediation confidential?
Yes. What is said in mediation stays private and cannot be repeated in court as evidence. The only exceptions are the normal professional safeguards, such as where there is a risk of harm to a child or a serious crime is disclosed. Financial information exchanged during mediation is shared on an open basis so it can be used in the consent order process.
More answers on our mediation FAQ page.
Accredited to International Standards
The Olive Branch Company is accredited by the Civil Mediation Council (CMC) and is a member of the International Mediation Institute (IMI). For you, that means the mediator handling your dispute follows recognised codes of practice, works to published standards of ethics and neutrality, and is accountable to a professional body.
Talk to us about your family situation
A short, confidential conversation will tell you whether mediation is right for your circumstances and what it would cost. Call +44 1604 785 785 or send us a message.
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