Mediation is less stressful, considerably quicker, and significantly more affordable than going to court, where the control is with a Magistrate or Judge.

In fact, according to a recent EU-funded study, in the EU, the time wasted by not using mediation (based on a claim of £170,000) is estimated at an average of between 331 and 446 extra days, with extra-legal costs ranging from £10,687 to £11,772 per case.

In England and Wales, the position is similar. In March 2011 the Ministry of Justice noted in its consultation paper that:

Last year, more than three-quarters of claims in the civil system were settled after allocation but before trial. That’s 87,000 more cases that could potentially have been resolved earlier if mediation had been used more widely and committedly.

The family justice system encourages parties to resolve their disputes through mediation, where a Memorandum of Understanding will be created by the mediator, detailing what has been agreed. Evidence shows that parties are more likely to stick to such agreements when they have had a role in formulating them.

As qualified mediators, we are trained to support separated couples with their financial arrangements in preparation for their divorce. Full financial disclosure will be required to help reach a settlement that works for you.

Mediators will seek to improve communication between the parties, find common ground and help parties to agree on future arrangements which can be reviewed and amended as children grow up.

The process provides flexibility and has helped hundreds of thousands of families to agree on financial arrangements and a way to parent children cooperatively after separation. If you’re not comfortable with being in the same room, the mediator can arrange shuttle mediation, where the mediator speaks with each party alone and relays proposals.

If you are a parent, it is far better for your children, for you, and your ex-partner to work together to try to agree on the way forward, but this can be hard to do on your own. Family mediation provides you with a safe and supported structure to sort out the best arrangements for your children, taking into account what is going to be important for them as they grow up. It also provides you with the space and time necessary to think about what is most important for your children, and for the whole family.

Whether you are a parent or not, mediation can help you reach an agreement about how to divide what there is, where you will live, and how your future finances will work.