Divorce or separation can be emotionally taxing, but reaching a resolution doesn’t have to be a financial burden, Family Mediation is cheaper, faster and much less stressful than going through the courts to reach agreement on issues relating to your separation or divorce. And in recent years, there has been a significant push to ensure family mediation is accessible to everyone, to ensure all have the opportunity to resolve their disputes amicably, regardless of their financial situation. Below we explore some of the avenues through which free family mediation can be an option.
Family Mediation Voucher Scheme
The Government’s Family Mediation Voucher Scheme is a beacon of hope for separating families. This initiative provides separating families, with children, a £500 voucher to go towards the cost of using accredited family mediation services.
The voucher scheme is designed to support parties to resolve their family law disputes outside of court, helping to reduce both conflict and court backlogs.
In Family Mediation a mediator will help you work through disagreements and help you to find solutions that work for you both and will explain how you can then make any agreements made legally binding if you wish to do so.
The family mediation voucher scheme helps to unlock the door to conflict resolution without financial burden.
Find out more about the voucher scheme here.
Legal Aid For Mediation
Legal aid is provided by the government and serves as a crucial bridge, connecting families with the mediation services they need. For those who qualify, legal aid covers the costs associated with family mediation, ensuring that financial constraints don’t hinder the path to resolution.
It is available to help families reach agreement, following their divorce or separation, on what to do about finances, property, and child arrangements.
You may be eligible for legal aid if you are on a low income or not working and if you are eligible, you will receive free family mediation, and it will also cover the cost of the initial appointment and first mediation meeting for your ex if they are not eligible for legal aid in their own right.
Read more about legal aid for mediation here
Free Child Inclusive Mediation
Recognising the importance of including children’s voices in the mediation process, National Family Mediation offers child inclusive mediation sessions free of charge.
During divorce or separation children will have concerns about the changes taking place in their family and will worry what the future will look like. Child Inclusive Mediation gives children a voice, by allowing then to share their worries, concern and wishes for their future.
Your mediator will talk to you about how your children can contribute, and if you both agree the mediator will meet with your children separate to the meetings between you and your ex. The meeting with the children is confidential and they can decide how their views and opinions are relayed to you as their parents.
By offering these sessions free of cost, we ensure that families can benefit from a comprehensive mediation experience that considers the perspectives of every family member.
Read more about the benefits of Child Inclusive Mediation here.
Through government initiatives like the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme, the availability of legal aid, and the offer of free child-inclusive mediation through NFM, family mediation is becoming accessible, affordable, and achievable for everyone.
