Related Topics
Child Inclusive Mediation
At Family Law in Partnership our approach to mediation is very child focused. We encourage parents to adopt a cooperative and pragmatic approach to their decision making guided by what is in the best interests of their children.
Following an initial joint mediation meeting with the parents or guardians and with their consent, children can be involved in the mediation process. It is generally accepted that children aged 10 and over will be consulted about arrangements which affect them as part of the overall mediation process.
Our family mediators have a wealth of experience in child inclusive mediation and we have four mediators who are qualified to conduct child inclusive mediations. Our Head of Mediation, Dominic Raeside, was involved in developing the code of conduct for child inclusive mediations.
For more information on child inclusive mediation, please contact our Mediation Coordinator, Wendy Hoare.
How Does Child Inclusive Mediation Work? →
There is an expectation that children aged 10 and over will be consulted as part of the overall family mediation process on matters which affect them.
In child inclusive mediation the mediator will meet with the child alone, without their parents. The focus of the meeting will be to understand how the child is feeling about their parents’ separation. This might involve talking about what might happen going forward; who they might want to live with and schooling arrangements, if relevant.
These discussions take place in confidence. Only those matters which the child agrees can be shared with the parents are fed back to the parents to help to inform their discussions.
We recognise that parents may be anxious about their child being involved in these discussions with a mediator. However, our experience is that children welcome the opportunity to have their voice heard by an independent professional who has some understanding of their family life and the issues which they face.
Our Child Inclusive Mediators →
At FLiP our specialist child inclusive mediators are:
For more information on our child inclusive mediators, their fees and availability, please contact our Mediation Coordinator, Wendy Hoare.
Counselling – for Children →
In addition to child inclusive mediation, we also offer counselling services for children who need support of their own during the divorce or separation. Two of our counsellors can support children and young people on a one to one basis. We can also recommend other specialists who may be able to help.
Find out more here.
Child Inclusive Mediation: A Child's Experience →
In this video, which has been kindly shared by the University of Exeter, you can listen to Tom explaining his experience of child inclusive mediation: click here.
Parenting After Parting →
Some parents find that our Parenting After Parting e-learning course can help them to focus on the needs of their children when they are working through family mediation. This practical course offers tips and techniques to help parents to prepare for their new role as separated parents.
For more information on Parenting After Parting click here.
Get Started Online
Find Out Where You Stand