Our mediation practice is a confidential, structured pathway to resolution. A voluntary and impartial process designed to help families resolve disputes constructively.
We offer our clients a safe and respectful space to communicate openly, address difficult issues, and take ownership of decisions that affect their family’s future.
We do not offer legal advice or counselling.
Your Family. Your Decisions. Your Outcomes.
We offer our clients a safe and respectful space to communicate openly, address difficult issues, and take ownership of decisions that affect their family’s future.
Our Mediation Practice empowers you to reach a mutually acceptable outcome, facilitated by experienced, neutral family mediators.
Our mediation is focused on the resolution process- practical, forward-looking, and outcome-driven.
Professional Practice Consultancy is provided by Nicolette Zarka of Aurora Family Mediation
A relaxed, no-obligation call or meeting where we get to know your situation, answer any questions you have, and explain what mediation involves. There is no pressure to go any further at this stage.
Before any family court application can be made, both parties need to attend a MIAM — a short, individual meeting with a mediator. We will talk through your situation, explore whether mediation is the right route, and explain the other options available to you. If mediation is suitable, we will issue your MIAM certificate.
You meet either in person or via shuttle for a series of sessions with your mediator. The number of sessions depends on what you need to address. The pace is up to you. Nothing is decided without both parties' agreement, and everything discussed in mediation remains confidential.
Once you reach a decision, we record it in writing as a Memorandum of Understanding or a Parenting Plan. You can then take this to a solicitor to have it transformed into a legally binding order, if you wish.
Everything you need to know about family mediation
Family mediation is a confidential process in which a trained, impartial mediator helps separating or divorced couples — and other family members — communicate and reach their own agreements on issues such as finances, property, and child arrangements.
Unlike a judge or solicitor, the mediator doesn't make decisions for you. Instead, they guide conversations, help both parties understand each other's perspectives, and support you in finding practical solutions that work for your family.
The process typically starts with a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM), where you'll gain more understanding of mediation and whether it suits your circumstances. If both parties agree to move forward, you'll participate in joint sessions — usually lasting 90 minutes — until agreements are achieved or all issues have been discussed.
The mediation process itself is not legally binding, so you are free to change your mind during sessions. However, once you reach an agreement, there are ways to make it legally enforceable.
For financial agreements, a solicitor can draft a Consent Order, which is then submitted to a court for approval. Once approved, it becomes legally binding on both parties.
For child arrangements, agreements can be formalised into a Parenting Plan, or if necessary, a solicitor can apply for a Child Arrangements Order. However, many families find that a well-crafted mediated agreement works effectively without court approval, especially when both parties have contributed to its development.
In England and Wales, in most cases, yes — you must attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) before making a court application concerning children or finances. This is a legal requirement under the Children and Families Act 2014.
The MIAM is a one-on-one meeting with a qualified mediator where your circumstances are assessed and you are provided with information about mediation and other alternatives to court proceedings. You are not required to proceed with mediation after a MIAM, but you must have attended one before a court will accept your application, unless an exemption applies.
Exemptions include situations involving domestic abuse, certain safeguarding concerns, or where the matter is urgent. Your mediator will be able to advise you on whether an exemption may apply to your circumstances.
Yes — in fact, many people who come to mediation are struggling to communicate, and that's precisely what mediation is designed to help with. You don't need to be on good terms to benefit from the process.
Mediators are trained to manage difficult dynamics, strong emotions, and entrenched conflict. They create a structured, safe environment where both parties can speak and be heard without conversations escalating.
If being in the same room feels too difficult or unsafe, shuttle mediation is available. In this format, you and the other party remain in separate rooms and the mediator moves between you, relaying information and proposals. This can be a very effective option for those with high levels of conflict or anxiety about face-to-face contact.
Family mediation can help with a wide range of issues that arise during or after separation and divorce, including:
- Child arrangements — where children will live, how much time they spend with each parent, schooling decisions, holidays, and other parenting matters
- Financial settlements — division of savings, pensions, debts, and other assets• Property — what happens to the family home, whether it is sold or transferred
- Spousal maintenance — ongoing financial support arrangements• Co-parenting — establishing communication and decision-making frameworks for raising children together after separation
- Extended family issues — for example, grandparent contact or disputes between other family members.
If you are unsure whether your specific situation can be addressed through mediation, please get in touch and we will be happy to discuss it with you.
The length of the process varies depending on the complexity of your situation and how quickly both parties are ready to engage. On average, most cases are resolved within 2 to 4 joint sessions, each lasting about 90 minutes.
From your initial MIAM to a final agreement, the process typically takes between four and twelve weeks. Simpler cases — such as agreeing a parenting plan where finances are straightforward — can be resolved more quickly. More complex cases involving significant assets, pensions, or deeply contested child arrangements may take longer.
Mediation is almost always considerably faster than going through the court system, where cases can take a year or more to resolve. Working at a pace that suits both parties helps ensure that any agreement reached is durable and sustainable.
Yes — family mediation is significantly less expensive than court proceedings. A full mediation process typically costs a fraction of what you would spend on contested court litigation, where legal fees can run into thousands or even tens of thousands of pounds.
Session fees vary depending on the mediator and the complexity of your case. We offer transparent pricing and will always discuss costs with you upfront during your MIAM.
Legal Aid may be available if you meet the financial eligibility criteria. Unfortunately, we do not currently offer Legal Aid.
Investing in mediation not only saves money — it also tends to produce better long-term outcomes, as agreements you have shaped together are more likely to be respected and maintained over time.
Mediation is a voluntary process, and there is no obligation to reach an agreement. If mediation breaks down or one party decides they no longer wish to continue, you are free to explore other options, including applying to court.
If mediation concludes without a full agreement, the mediator will provide you with a document confirming that mediation has taken place. This satisfies the MIAM requirement and allows you to proceed with a court application if necessary.
It's worth noting that even partial progress in mediation can be valuable. Often, parties can agree on some issues but not others, thereby significantly narrowing the scope of subsequent court proceedings and reducing costs.
Everything discussed in mediation is confidential and cannot be used as evidence in court, so there is no risk in trying.
In standard mediation, children do not attend sessions — the process takes place between the adults involved. However, your children's needs, wishes, and well-being will be central to every conversation about arrangements that affect them.
For families where it would be beneficial, child-inclusive mediation is an option. In this approach, a specially trained mediator meets separately with your child or children in a safe, age-appropriate way. The mediator then feeds the child's perspective back into the adult sessions — without attributing specific statements — so that their voice can genuinely inform the decisions being made.
Child-inclusive mediation is entirely voluntary and is provided only when appropriate for the child's age, maturity, and circumstances. It can be particularly helpful in cases where children are older or where parents hold differing views on what their children truly want. We do not currently offer child-inclusive mediation.
The best way to find out is to book a MIAM — a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting. This confidential, individual session gives you the opportunity to talk through your situation with a qualified mediator, ask questions, and receive an honest assessment of whether mediation is likely to be suitable and helpful for you.
Mediation works well in a wide range of circumstances, including conflicts, strong emotions, and complex finances. However, it may not be appropriate where there is a history of domestic abuse or coercive control, serious safeguarding concerns, or where one party is unwilling to engage honestly and in good faith.
If mediation isn’t suitable for you, your mediator will inform you and can direct you to other suitable services. There is no obligation to proceed, and attending a MIAM does not bind you to anything. It’s simply the initial step to help you understand your options.
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