Find an agreement everyone can live with…

Family mediation is…
a voluntary process in which a Professional Family Mediator helps family members to communicate more effectively and to make their own arrangements for the future, particularly for children. To benefit families, mediation can:

• Minimise conflict
• Help adults focus on the needs of the child
• Develop communication skills
• Improve family life moving forward
• Help avoid long, painful and expensive legal battles.

Mediators do not take sides, make judgements or give guidance, but support people to make their own decisions about the future. Family mediation supports parents, children and the wider family through change, particularly as a result of separation, divorce or family restructuring.

Who is it for?
Family mediation is for all sorts of people: married and unmarried, parents, grandparents, step-parents and young people can all participate in family mediation.

Mediation can help…
at any time if communication becomes difficult or breaks down. This may be:
• During or any time after a relationship breakdown
• As a result of families re-forming, such as step-families
• When parents, grandparents, step-parents, children or young people identify there are difficulties with communication or there are practical arrangements that need to be resolved
• When young people become homeless, mediation may be useful to maintain communication with family members.

How does it work?
• Each family member is offered an individual, confidential meeting where options are discussed
• If mediation is appropriate, a joint meeting is arranged with the mediator where former partners or family members have the opportunity to talk about their concerns, explore options and agree an acceptable way forward
• Families may attend several mediation appointments.

What about the children?
The focus of family mediation is to put the needs of children and young people first. To do this best, families should listen to their children, try to understand them and take account of their views and feelings.

We support this by offering a child focused approach. If appropriate, meet with children and young people as part of the process and with both parents consent, to hear their views on issues which affect them. Through ‘Direct Consultation with Children’ the mediator agrees with the child or young person what they would like to feedback into the mediation process for their parents to hear.

Is it confidential?
Yes. Mediators are bound by a duty of confidentiality. Parents talk freely and frankly in mediation. What occurs during family mediation cannot be used in civil proceedings unless both parties want it to be or if there are issues of children’s safety or criminal activities. Care is taken to protect confidentiality and no disclosure will be made without discussing the issues first, unless there is an urgent risk of harm.

FMNI have a professional approach to the collation and retention of your personal data. FMNI is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act 2018.

Where can I access the service?
This service is available at venues across NI.

How much will it cost?
Our service is an independent registered charity and donations are always welcome. There is no charge to those parents who fulfil the criteria for the HSCB funded service ,i.e. under early intervention policy, those parents who are not in the court system. For all others the charge
is relatively low when compared to the legal process. Some mediations may be funded by an individual Health Trust or other referral agency and we offer a number of non-parental separation, family dispute mediations free per year.

Family Mediators are…
trained professionals who have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the complexity of family life and of separation, divorce and family restructuring. All our mediators work to the professional standards and code of ethics of the College of Mediators and Mediators Institute Ireland. To maintain a high quality practice all Mediators work towards accreditation status and must meet the required standards of practice, supervision and Continuing Professional Development through the College of Mediators (UK) & Mediators Institute Ireland. Equal Opportunities Family Mediation NI is committed to the provision of equal opportunities in all its work.

Helping families through change
☎ T: 028 9024 3265
enquiry@familymediationni.org.uk
www.familymediationni.org.uk
Rights House, 127-131 Ormeau Road,
Belfast, BT7 1SH.
We can supply this information in
alternative formats. Please contact us.