Types of Family Mediation
We normally undertake family mediation with 1 mediator and both separated clients in the room. This model applies for issues concerning child contact only, finance and property only, and all issues together.
We can mediate with 2 mediators in the room (called co-mediation), and this can help where there are very complex financial issues, or there are issues that are highly conflicted, or where other family members may need to be involved.
Where there are problems with both clients being in the room during mediation, we can undertake shuttle mediation, which requires clients being in separate rooms (and the mediator shuttling between the 2). This understandably takes longer and can be more expensive.
We can also undertake direct child consultation, where the mediator meets separately with the children, if this in thought to be a process that would help mediation and a future agreement. Generally all involved have to agree to this, and the children have to be older than 6 years old. All our mediators are trained in this process.
We can mediate in family separation and divorce situations that involve the wider family (quite often grandparents), and this is sometimes called intergenerational mediation. It is by its nature a more complex process, and is likely to involve more than 1 mediator.
With all of the above types of mediation, it is for the mediator and the clients to discuss and agree the right approach at the start of the mediation process.