Children Mediation

Our Family Mediators at Albion-mediation have been professionally trained to involve children in the mediation process.

For children aged 10+, mediators must now frequently consult with parents to determine whether they believe it is critical that their child’s voice be heard. Occasionally, children under the age of ten may have their say as well.

Involving children in mediation may be rather complicated, and it takes some thought and preparation before a mediator speaks to a child.

There are various factors to consider, some of which may be dependent on the child’s age and maturity. The kid’s meeting with the mediator must be agreed upon by the child and both parents.

The Mediator will assist you in determining whether or not it would be beneficial to meet with your kid or children.

In Mediation, conversing with children

Occasionally, parents advise that their kid or children participate in the mediation process. Occasionally, the youngster initiates the proposal. It is critical for parents to understand their children’s perspectives, needs, and wishes, and incorporating them in the mediation process may be an effective method to do this.

What is involved?

Direct consultation with children entails a family mediator who has received training as a child consultant speaking with a kid or children as part of a mediation in which child custody arrangements are set.

  • Consultations with children often take around 45 minutes.
  • Siblings will be viewed individually or jointly, depending on the preference of the children.
  • The youngster may meet with the mediator who is currently assisting the parents or, as is frequently the case, with a different mediator.

Children like being educated and having their ideas and opinions acknowledged, yet they must realise that they are not ultimately accountable for the choice.

Involving children in mediation may be extremely complicated, and a mediator must spend considerable time preparing before speaking to a kid.

Considerations vary according on the child’s age and maturity.

The consultation must be agreed upon by the youngster and both parents. It is up to the mediator to determine if child consultation is necessary.

child unhappy min Just another WordPress site
images 1 Just another WordPress site

Children's Mediation Arrangements

Our team of professionally trained Family Mediators has a combined expertise of over 80 years in family mediation, assisting you in obtaining a resolution that meets the requirements of your children.

Our mediators are all accredited Family Mediators who are trained and registered to conduct MIAMs and pre-trial mediation.

When we attempt to mediate for children and family issues, we often discuss the following:

  • a place for the children to dwell – a house
  • how parental care will be shared — contact and residency
  • plans for school holidays and major celebrations such as Christmas throughout the year
  • the most effective method for parents to speak about difficulties with their children
  • how both parents may provide the best possible financial and emotional support for their children

Concerns Regarding Child Contact

Family mediation enables parents or caregivers in focusing on their children’s future needs, enabling them to make sound judgments that are realistic and appear fair to each of you. We will not take sides or attempt to sway your choice in any manner.

After you and the mediator have met separately and agreed to enter mediation, the mediator will schedule your first combined meeting*. A typical initial mediation meeting on child custody agreements lasts 1.5 hours.

Both parents engage together with the mediator to identify issues that need to be resolved, to explore available choices, to discuss individual and collective concerns, and to examine ways to move ahead in a mutually agreed manner on the issues you both believe need to be handled.

Where appropriate, we will also discuss with you and the children the possibility of communicating with them. Family mediation enables you as parents to retain control over the choices affecting your children, without the need for them to be resolved through attorneys or in court. Even if your matter has previously been litigated, you should try mediation.

We successfully resolve over 80% of our mediations, so you can be certain that you are in the finest possible hands.

We recognise that a joint meeting is not always the best way to go, and we can suggest other arrangements based on your circumstances and the mediator’s assessment of what would work best in your situation.

How is Family Mediation Conducted?

After you and the mediator have met separately and agreed to enter mediation, the mediator will schedule your first combined meeting. A typical initial mediation meeting on child custody agreements lasts 1.5 hours.

Both parents engage together with the mediator to identify issues that need to be resolved, to explore available choices, to discuss individual and collective concerns, and to examine ways to move ahead in a mutually agreed manner on the issues you both believe need to be handled.

download Just another WordPress site

Is it better to communicate face to face or online?

While face-to-face mediation is usually preferable, we recognise that this is not always practical, particularly given the underlying Covid issues. With this in mind, the majority of our mediation appointments are conducted online, often via Zoom, though What’s App and Facetime are also available in select situations. Where the necessity arises, there are still some choices for face-to-face mediation.

All you need for online mediation is a computer, tablet, or smartphone equipped with a webcam, a stable Internet connection, and a private meeting space. We alleviate your burden by organising the meeting and give you the link to click. In some cases, we can provide shuttle mediation.

Normally, we would meet with customers in person in one of our local locations, however due to covid, there are presently a limited amount of face-to-face appointments available in our Plymouth offices. As a result, we are able to see customers from all around England and Wales.