How does mediation work?

If you are interested in mediation the first step will be to have an information/assessment meeting so that you and the mediator can meet one another and decide whether mediation is suitable for the issues, the people involved and all the circumstances of your situation.

You can come together or separately. If you come together you are each seen on your own during the course of the meeting.

The mediator will explain what you need to do to prepare for mediation, such as the financial information you may need to gather. If all concerned feel that mediation is suitable a mediation meeting will be arranged to fit in with your commitments.

How long does mediation take

Meetings are usually about an hour and a half. On average there are between three to five sessions for all issues mediation (finance and children’s issues) and one to two sessions for children’s issues, although the number of sessions will also depend on what you want to discuss and how complicated the issues are.

What happens to our proposals

At the end of mediation a detailed written summary of your proposals is prepared for you and the Mediator will explain how the proposals can become legally binding if you want them to be. Mediation compliments and simplifies the legal process and you are encouraged to seek legal advice at any time during the process as the need arises and especially when you reach proposals for settlement.

Can the children see the mediator

Children are encouraged to have a separate appointment with a mediator, provided they want to and both parents agree. This will also depend on the age of the children.

What does it cost

Accord Family Mediation has a contract with the legal Services Commission to provide free mediation for those eligible. You can check out your eligibility on the Legal Services Commission website: www.legalservices.gov.uk.

If one or both of you is eligible for free mediation then there is no charge for the first information/assessment meeting. Otherwise the fee for the first meeting is £60 each.

If you are not eligible for free mediation our fees are £120 per person. Our charges cover mediator’s time during the meeting, plus any work the mediator does including provision of written summaries after sessions and all administration costs such as letters and telephone calls.

If a Memorandum of Understanding is prepared there is an additional fee of £60, unless the document is more complicated than usual and you would be charged according to the mediator’s time spent on drafting.