Separation and divorce can be an extremely difficult and stressful time, not only for the couple involved but also for any children.
Many couples find themselves involved in court proceedings that are costly and which are often hard for the parties to understand, mediation is often a simpler and less stressful process.
Many couples welcome a more constructive, cooperative, and amicable approach. With the assistance of an independent, neutral, and impartial mediator, these clients are able to have discussions and reach an agreement about their children and their financial circumstances. We have therefore set up a mediation practice, which we call WYMediation.
Our family mediation team
WYMediation offer family mediation services and divorce mediation services throughout Plymouth and the surrounding areas.
Our mediation service combines our extensive knowledge of family law as solicitors with the confidentiality and impartiality of a trained mediator to help you resolve separation disputes regarding financial issues, child custody and visitation, child support, spousal support, and property division.
The Family Mediation Council (FMC) oversees family mediation services in the UK. Comprising five autonomous members -The College of Mediators, The Law Society, The Family Mediators’ Association, National Family Mediation, and Resolution - the FMC helps separated or separating couples resolve conflicts and reach compromises through trained mediators in England and Wales.
What is a mediator?
A mediator is a specially trained facilitator. A mediator is neutral and impartial and does not take sides in the discussions. Our mediators are specially trained to help both parties find solutions to the problems that have arisen following separation. This avoids the need to attend court, reduces costs, and can assist in minimising stress and pressure. The collaborative nature of the discussions should lead to improvements in communication between a separating couple and leave them better able to co-parent their children in the long term.
Mediation is not…
- Mediation is not counselling to assist you to reconcile.
- Mediation helps you to come to joint decisions as to how to divide your assets and co-parent your children.
- The mediator is not a Judge and will not decide what you should do.
- The mediator will help you to find your own solutions that work very best for your particular family circumstances and for you.
- Mediation is confidential and therefore any discussions cannot be placed before a Judge.
- You are therefore able to discuss matters openly and transparently and to consider all possible options, rather than focussing on one particular position, as is encouraged through the courts.
The benefits of mediation
- You set the agenda and you have the opportunity to speak directly to your former partner about the issues that are most important to you.
- You have the opportunity to hear from your partner about the issues that are most important to them.
- You resolve matters without going to court and putting your life in the hands of a judge, who you will have never met before and who will have only had an opportunity to briefly read the papers and hear from you before making decisions that will affect you possibly for the rest of your life.
- Our mediation service is confidential and cost-effective.
- Mediation is flexible and we can work at the pace that you as a couple wish to work at.
Engaging your children in the process
At the forefront of our mediator’s mind is the safety of all involved in the mediation and the children we will, therefore, assess the suitability of mediation before and during each meeting. For those who are committed to resolving matters without court proceedings, and wish a constructive solution, mediation is very often very successful.
Getting feedback from your children
Our mediators are trained in dealing directly with children and with your agreement and proper planning, can see them to ascertain whether they wish to have feedback into discussions. Many agree that it is important for a child’s voice to be heard.
Mediation for free – legal aid
Legal aid is still available for mediation for children and financial issues, where you are financially eligible. Even better, if one of you is eligible for legal aid, both of you can have the first individual meeting with our mediator and the first joint meeting, for free. Our team can undertake an assessment of your financial means in order to ascertain whether you would be eligible for legal aid.
Online Family Mediation Service
We offer a convenient and accessible online family mediation service to meet your needs.