Families Talking Mediation Benefits Everyone

Mediation is confidential unless concerns about child protection or the safety of others are raised. If this happens, mediation cannot continue and we will encourage you to talk about your concerns with the relevant agencies e.g. social services or police who will be able to investigate these important issues. However, as professionals we have final responsibility to make sure that appropriate action is taken to ensure safety of all concerned in mediation and in this circumstance confidentiality can no longer be guaranteed.

Domestic abuse can be a worry for a lot of people. Safety for all is a vital principle of mediation and you will always be given individual time to discuss this and any other issues with your mediator. Special arrangements may help with some of your concerns to enable mediation to proceed. However mediation may not be suitable in every set of circumstances and we would help you to look at other options.

Mediation works within the framework of your legal rights and responsibilities, so nothing you decide in mediation will be different from that. However both of you will have legal rights and so your expectations may be very different, based on the same legal advice. Mediation helps you to reach fair and workable decisions that are right for your family.

Solicitors are important if you need to make legal arrangements. However, the legal process does not always create the best atmosphere in which to discuss what's best for the children - often parents just value a comfortable and neutral space to come and make their own informal decisions, as they have always done. If you are wanting to discuss divorce and financial arrangements, it will be important for you to have access to independent legal advice and we would encourage you to do so. Mediators are impartial and cannot offer legal advice – that is for you to seek from your own solicitor. You can find a solicitor on the Solicitors Directory on this website or from the Community Legal Services website.

It is helpful for children if parents can plan co-operatively about meeting their needs for the future. Mediators therefore invite all parents with children over the age of 5 to consider whether their children would like the opportunity to talk to someone in order for their concerns to also be heard. This happens only with the consent of both parents and the children. It would normally consist of one appointment with the children from which the children’s concerns could be relayed back to the parents should the children wish this to happen.

• a copy of your most recent payslip
• proof of benefit(s) including child benefit
• proof of tax credits
• bank statement if this is the only proof you have of money received

We would like to have your views whether you are happy or unhappy in any way with our service. If you do have a complaint, we ask that you contact the Practice Manager in the first instance and we will do all we can to deal with the matter as quickly as possible. We have a complaints policy and procedure in place.

We hope you will not have to cancel but if you do, we ask that you give us at least 24 hours notice so we can give the appointment to someone else. If your appointment was to be held with your ex-partner please try to let them know yourself that you have cancelled the appointment and let us know this has been done. This helps avoid unnecessary problems.

We offer appointments in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees, Hartlepool, Darlington, Peterlee, Newton Aycliffe and North Yorkshire.