Government Introduce A Further Push to Use Mediation Instead of Court
Further Investment by the Government on the successful Mediation Vouchers Scheme
Celebrating Family Mediation Week get involved
Organised by the Family Mediation Council (FMC), Family Mediation Week (17th & 21st January 2022) is an opportunity to raise awareness of family mediation and its benefits to separating families. Our aim is to let more people know about the benefits of family mediation and encourage separating couples to think about family mediation as a way of helping them take control, make
decisions together and build a positive future for their family. If you would like to get involved please check out the tabletable where you will find lots of useful information. Family-Mediation-Week-plan-13.12.21.pdf (thefma.co.uk)
Mediation Voucher Scheme recieves further backing from MOJ
We are pleased to let you know that the MoJ has agreed to put additional funds in to the mediation voucher scheme, bringing the total voucher fund to just over £3million. This is fantastic news for families and means we can continue to offer our clients vouchers. The additional funding for the scheme was announced yesterday by Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab. Read more here.
Family mediation scheme to help thousands more parents – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Mediation Voucher Extension
Voucher scheme boost to help thousands more families resolve disputes away from court
Thousands more families are set to benefit from a government mediation scheme that has been helping separating parents resolve disputes away from court.
Thousands more families are set to benefit from a government mediation scheme that has been helping separating parents resolve disputes away from court.
The scheme, launched by the Government in March, provides separating couples with a £500 voucher for mediation services with the aim of finding amicable solutions to their disagreements and freeing up space in the family courts. It seeks to spare them the trauma of going through often lengthy and costly courtroom battles, which can have a damaging impact on children. Normally each mediation session is charged for unless one of the parties has access to legal aid.
Hundreds of people have already accessed this vital support with around 130 vouchers currently being used every week. Early data from the Family Mediation Council (FMC), who run the programme, has shown that up to three-quarters of participants have been helped to reach full or partial agreement on their dispute.
Ministers are determined to build on this success and have today confirmed an additional £800,000 will go towards the scheme – almost doubling an initial £1 million investment made earlier this year and helping around 2,000 more families.
Courts Minister, Lord Wolfson QC said:
Hundreds of separating couples have already benefitted from this scheme – resolving their disputes without the need for an often lengthy, costly and emotionally taxing court process.
This additional funding will allow even more families to access these services, while helping to lessen the pressure on our family courts as we build back better from the pandemic.
Mediation is often a quicker and cheaper way of resolving disputes, which can spare families the stress of attending court and the impact this can have on children. It involves couples working through their differences – led by a trained and accredited mediator – to reach agreements they are both prepared to accept, such as how to split assets or arranging child contact times, rather than have a judge decide for them. They can then ask a court to consider their agreement and make it into a legally binding and enforceable court order.
In one case, the parents of a three year old boy were able to avoid days in court by using the scheme to agree on future arrangements. Both mum and dad were mistrusting of each other and sceptical about mediation. The scheme helped them to move forward and their child now has parents who can talk to one another about his best interests with healthier relationships all around.
Jane Kerr, an FMC Accredited mediator, said of the scheme:
The mediation voucher scheme has been invaluable in providing clients with access to mediation at a time when money is tight and finances are feeling fraught. I have worked with several couples who were interested in the benefits mediation offered, however were not financially in a position to get started.
Two cases I have worked on over the last few months have concluded successfully with positive progress and outcomes for their children. They were clear examples of families who were in crisis, amid messy separations and who left mediation on a firmer footing with regards to their co-parenting relationship and having worked out practical arrangements.
The scheme is eligible for families seeking to resolve private law or financial matters relating to children – for example, child arrangement orders or financial disputes regarding a child’s upbringing.
If a case is eligible for vouchers, the mediator will automatically claim back the contributions from the Government.
The new investment in the scheme follows a Call for Evidence on dispute resolution, launched earlier this month, on the best ways to settle family, business and other civil disputes away from the courtroom.
The move forms part of recent action by the Government to help reduce family conflict, including introducing new laws to spare divorcing couples the need to apportion blame for the breakdown of their marriage..
Today’s announcement also follows a major overhaul of the family courts announced last year to better protect victims of domestic abuse, including an automatic entitlement for special measures in courtrooms and stronger powers for judges to stop abusers repeatedly dragging their victims to court. Meanwhile, a £76 million investment into the Family Court and tribunal systems will help to boost capacity during the pandemic.
Job Opportunity – Join the Team
We are seeking an Accredited Mediator to join our team – The candidate will ideally be someone who is based in the Midlands who will be able to carry out face to face mediation as well as online appointments. The work will be a mixture of privately funded and Legal Aid work and will cover both children matters and finance and property cases. All our mediators are self employed on a sessional basis. Rates will be discussed at interview. If you would be interested in making contact please either send an email with your details to info@fmcstaffs.co.uk or telephone and speak to Emma Richardson on 01785 747322.
Government Announces £1 Million for Family Mediation
The government has announced that it is investing £1m in family mediation, to support families to resolve issues relating to children. Under the scheme, the Ministry of Justice will provide contributions of up to £500 per family, to resolve issues relating to children following parental separation. Mediation will be provided by Family Mediation Council Accredited (FMCA) mediators and the fund will reduce the costs of mediation for at least 2000 families. 
John Taylor, Chair of the Family Mediation Council said ‘This government investment in mediation is much welcomed by the Family Mediation Council. It will help separated families agree solutions that are best for their children, taking into account what is going to be important for them as they grow up. Family mediation is a proven cost-effective way to resolve differences following separation. This voucher scheme will make it even more accessible, and will help families resolve issues for themselves, without having to go to court.’
Family mediation is a process in which an independent, professionally trained mediator helps parents work out arrangements for children and finances following separation. Mediation can also be helpful when previous child arrangements need to change, particularly as children grow up.
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- Further information about the scheme, aimed at families who may benefit, will be published here from 10 am on Friday 26 March 2021: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/family-mediation-voucher-scheme
- The Family Mediation Council is a not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to promote the use of family mediation for the benefit of the public. It does not offer mediation itself. Family Mediation Council Accredited mediators meet rigorous professional standards. Find our more: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/
- For more information about anything contained in this press release or family mediation in general, please contact Family Mediation Centre Staffordshire at info@fmcstaffs.co.uk or 01785 747322
Nettie Walding Shortlisted for National Mediation Awards 2020
Congratulations Nettie for now being short listed for the National Mediation Awards 2020
The submission for the award was prepared by Annie Lowe and Neil Robinson both mediators for Family Mediation Centre Staffordshire, we thought we would share this with everyone.
Submission for National Mediation Awards 2020
Nettie Walding has been an outstanding mediator and PPC for over twenty years. During that time she has been a stalwart of both The Mediation Centre in Stafford and now Family Mediation Centre Staffordshire, as shareholder and supervisor to the practice, as well as a keen and loyal member of the Family Mediators Association.
Annie Lowe :
I want to nominate Nettie in recognition of her continuing exceptional endeavour and hard work during the pandemic. We all found ourselves in uncharted waters and Nettie has guided her team of mediators and staff through the storm of changes, finding new ways to work together, exploring and mastering new technology, whilst creating new management policy through consultation with colleagues.
Her support for others whilst coaching, mentoring and shadowing mediators has produced work of the highest of ethical professional standards.
She demonstrates in her practice as a family mediator and professional practice consultant profound compassion and emotional intelligence. She is a woman of integrity, showing kindness to everyone that she meets. She has worked tirelessly for many years in the mediation field inspiring others. Her sense of humour injects a refreshing air into the day to day life of mediation.
In terms of the service that she represents I have worked for many services during the decades and I find that FMCS is the best service that I have ever had the pleasure to work for. Nettie has enabled the service to re-examine every aspect of the work that we do and find new ways to change things for the better to emerge better equipped in the innovative digital world. We as a service want to show her appreciation for all that she has achieved and pay her a special commendation.
Neil Robinson adds:
As Nettie’s PPC, and her friend and colleague for 15 years, I absolutely support Nettie’s nomination and everything Annie has said. Nettie is trying to retire; her support for FMCS, for her supervisees and clients, and for mediators everywhere, is second to none. She is a mediators’ mediator, with an absolute integrity, a warmth and compassion, and a thorough professionalism – always a delight to co-mediate with! FMCS has grown through the pandemic and continued to offer a fantastic service online, and this would not have been possible without Nettie’s love and care. It would be a wonderful recognition of all she has contributed, and for all experienced, utterly committed mediators, for her to have this award at this time.
Nettie Walding – Nominated for A National Mediation Award 2020
We are so proud to announce that Nettie Walding has been nominated for a National Mediation Award 2020 by her colleagues and friends within the mediation world. Nettie has worked so hard and is such a highly respected mediator, she is passionate about mediation and makes a difference to so many people’s lives. It is a true honour to have her as part of Family Mediation Centre Staffordshire. We have all our fingers crossed she will win the award, she certainly deserves it! Well done Nettie and good luck, we are all behind you.
Celebrating 6 years in Business today!
Family Mediation Centre Staffordshire are so pleased to be celebrating their sixth year in business today. Starting the business in March 2013 we were confident that there was a need for our service. Six years on and we can safely say there certainly was as we are growing from strength to strength, and our team of mediators and staff are growing to support the local communities within all our locations.