A survival guide to family mediation
Are you in the process of separating from your partner and in need of some help with further arrangements regarding your children and property? If so, you might benefit from family mediation. This service is extremely useful if you’d like to end your relationship amicably and reach an arrangement that will be satisfactory for both parties.
With the help of a family mediator, your family will be able to effectively communicate and settle your disagreements. Of course, as with any family matter, separations tend to be quite stressful. Therefore, we’ve prepared a helpful survival guide to family mediation that you can scroll through if you have any queries about the entire process.
The benefits of family mediation
It is recommended that parents seek mediation when they are unable to agree on how to set up acceptable living arrangements for their children following the breakdown of their family unit. If you decide on seeking family meditation services you’ll have more control over how decisions about your children are handled, than when going through the courts.
It is also much easier for you, your partner, and your children to communicate with the help of a certified mediator. They will help you plan out future arrangements too and will also allow you to make changes to it more easily, as long as both parties agree. Certain mediators will also offer to provide help with completing court forms such as form c100 which can be intimidating for some people.
Prepare for MIAM
Mediation Information Analysis Meeting is the first time you’ll be encountered with the mediator who will be handling your case. During the first hearing, they’ll be able to tell you if your situation is suitable for family mediation or should you, in fact, seek help from the courts.
You will also get to know about the costs and what specific things to expect from the entire process. What is great about MIAM is that you may ask to meet with the mediator separately from your partner or together, depending on your situation. Make sure to be prepared for the MIAM by carefully considering all the aspects of your story. You should also think about the outcome of the mediation you’d like to have.
What to expect during mediation
In the first meeting, you and your ex-partner are likely to meet with a trained mediator on your own. Afterwards, you and your ex-partner will sit down with the mediator and go through your disagreements during multiple mediation sessions. Of course, if you specifically can’t handle being at the same place as your ex-partner, for one reason or another, you should tell this to your mediator beforehand so that you can arrange separate meetings. Keep in mind that this style of mediation is more time-consuming and hence more expensive.
Unlike a lawyer, the mediator will consider both sides of the conversation to help establish a peaceful atmosphere where you and your partner may come to an agreement that both of you are happy with. If you have children, your mediator is likely to concentrate on what is best for them and their needs. Furthermore, the mediator may also speak to your children if they deem it appropriate and you agree.
What if mediation doesn’t work out
If you and your ex-partner can’t come to an agreement via mediation, you’ll need to see a lawyer who’ll tell you what to do. Another option may be to create a parenting plan.
Describe how you and your ex-partner want to raise your children in a written or electronic document which will then be processed through the court. However, if you and your ex-spouse cannot come to an agreement regarding financial or real estate issues after mediation, a lawyer may propose going to court.
