mediating children issues

Where parties in mediation have children, making plans for them is always the first place to start.

Sometimes parties come with a basic idea or framework to work from, at other times there is no agreement at all, with each parent wanting to have the children live with them. The Court takes the view that if parents can deal with parenting arrangements themselves, then no Court Orders need to be made.

The mediator will guide the parents through a detailed parenting plan if needed and much is made of working towards co-operative parenting and this is proved to be most beneficial to the children. There are no ‘usual’ arrangements. Some parents agree to share care of the children equally, others decide on one parent being the main carer and the other having regular contact. There is no ‘right or wrong’ way and each family will make decisions based on their own particular circumstances.