• 26 Jan 2022
• •
• 2 min read

Trethowans champions Family Mediation Week with £500 voucher

Trethowans have recently championed Family Mediation Week, an initiative organised by the Family Mediation Council to raise awareness of mediation and the benefits it can bring to separating families.

Through the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme, we are offering £500 towards mediation services to those who qualify.

There are six different approaches to family mediation:

1. Traditional: When a couple meets with an impartial mediator together in one room to discuss and attempt to resolve the issues between them. The mediator’s job is to facilitate discussion and to help the couple reach their own conclusions about what is right for their family in a calm and orderly fashion.
2. Shuttle mediation: Where the individuals sit in separate rooms , with the mediator acting as a buffer and ‘shuttling’ between them to facilitate a resolution. This can be useful when parties struggle to talk directly to one another, especially as the mediator can filter out some of the emotions to ensure discussions remain focused and calm.
3. Co-mediation: This model employs two mediators, who work together to ensure the couple is fully supported. They may assign themselves different roles, such as one recording details of discussions and one ensuring that both parties are heard. Suitable for situations where the issues in dispute are highly complex.
4. Hybrid mediation: When couples meet with a mediator but bring their lawyers to obtain legal advice on the spot as talks progress. In traditional mediation, people consult lawyers before and / or after mediation sessions. This can be a much faster way of reaching agreement.
5. Child inclusive mediation: In this scenario, children are given the opportunity to meet and talk with a mediator, who then feeds back their views to the parents to help them come to an arrangement about what is going to work best. The parents do not attend this session or have a right to know everything the child has said – just what the child authorises the mediator to tell the parents.
6. Third parties in mediation: Where a professional joins the mediation as a third party to help couples reach conclusions about specific issues. This might be an accountant to talk about business finances or a pensions expert to help explain the meaning and impact of a pension sharing order.

Kimberley Davies, a partner in the family team at Trethowans, said: “January is a popular month for people to begin divorce proceedings for a variety of reasons, such as the desire for a fresh start and holidays pushing people to the limit of what they can handle with their spouse.

“Sometimes, people may have made the decision to file for divorce well before January and just wanted to get Christmas with the children out of the way before undertaking what is often a process fraught with conflict and emotional turmoil.

“Family mediation can help unlock discussions and resolve this conflict, enabling separating couples to reach the decisions that are best for them in a safe environment.”
Find out more about the £500 voucher towards mediation services here.