Why Choose Mediation instead of Court
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, our already busy family courts have gone into crisis. Only those extremely urgent cases which have a safeguarding issue, are being heard promptly, and even some of those are having to wait for many months before a resolution is found. Our family courts simply do not have the capacity to help you make the practical, day to day arrangements for your children and are struggling to list financial hearings in a timely way.
It therefore makes sense to try and resolve issues through Mediation. It is often thought that Mediation will try and help you get back together. This is one of those “urban myths”! Mediation is a way that couples who wish to separate, or who have already separated, can make arrangements for their children and to agree what financial arrangements need to be made for their family.
As a Mediator I will always ensure that any children in your family will be at the forefront of your discussions, when trying to resolve the financial aspects of separation. Mediation is also a way of ensuring that arrangements for the children to see both parents are in place as quickly as possible following your separation. If you have already separated, and the arrangements for the children have reached a stumbling block, then I will help you have constructive discussions about how best to move the arrangements forward.
Since March 2020 I have been offering Mediation by Zoom. I never thought this would work but I am really pleased to have been able to assist many parents make arrangements for their children to move between two households during these challenging times.
Zoom makes it possible to have discussions remotely, without the need to travel to my office. If it becomes too emotional, you can have a break and we can re-start when you are ready. If you have never used Zoom before we can have a practice session, before the Mediation takes place, just to ensure that you are comfortable with the technology. I know I was very anxious about my first Zoom meeting, but I am surprised at how quickly I have been able to adapt.
Court should always be a last resort when a family needs help with arrangements for their children or to sort out their financial affairs on separation. The emotional and financial cost of court proceedings can cause long lasting damage to a family, from which it can be hard to recover. If you decide to come to Mediation, you are in control of the timescale for the discussions, and will make your own decisions with professional support and guidance.
As a family lawyer and Mediator, I can also guide you through the online divorce process and help you find the support that you and your family may need through this emotional and challenging period of your lives.
If you are interested in Mediation, call me on 01435 817062 for a free chat about the process and how I can help you and your family.
Sharon Kay
Mediator/Chartered Legal Executive