The Family team at Ramsdens are supporting Family Mediation Week which this year is taking place between the 17th -21st January. This annual initiative creates the opportunity to raise awareness of family mediation process and of the benefits it can bring to separating families.
January is thought to be the most common time of year for relationship breakdowns and separation, which amongst other factors is blamed on the stress of the holiday period and prolonged time together as a family unit. “The festive period often proves the final straw for relationships that have been fragile for some time,” says Jane Robey, the CEO of the charity National Family Mediation. “That’s why January is known in family law circles as divorce month.”
People often believe that issues arising from separation such as divorce, financial matters and child arrangements are only resolved after a stressful and expensive process which can often lead to Court proceedings. Family Mediation Week aims to raise awareness of the mediation process and its benefits, which involves resolving these issues in an amicable, less expensive and constructive way. It is of course also acknowledged that in some instances mediation is not appropriate and court may be necessary to resolve issues, such as if there has been domestic abuse.
At Ramsdens Solicitors we can recommend Mediators in your local area to commence the Mediation process. Initially the Mediator will arrange a meeting known as a Mediation Information Assessment Meeting (MIAM) which you would attend on your own. The Mediator will explain the mediation process to you and will determine whether or not you are suitable to engage in the mediation process and also whether you would be eligible for Legal Aid funding or the government vouchers that have recently been released to assist with mediation
It is also important to note that when you do reach an agreement regarding financial matters during the Mediation process you should seek legal assistance from a Solicitor to ensure that an agreement is drawn up into a legally binding document and lodged at court once a Decree Nisi has been pronounced to prevent any future financial claims from arising
At Ramsdens Solicitors we can offer support and advice before, during and after the Mediation process.
CONTACT US
To see how Ramsdens can help you, call our Family team on 08000 147720 or send us an email to book a free 30 minute telephone consultation with any of our team based across Yorkshire.