When relationships break down, families face a lot of challenges. Among these are practical considerations such as “What arrangements will be best for any children?” and “What will happen with finances?” Professional family mediators act as neutral third parties to help ex-partners have conversations about these issues.
People often ask whether family mediation works, and so the FMC conducted a survey to find out. Survey results just published show that this is a highly successful way of helping couples resolve disputes, with mediation successful in over 70% of cases*.
The survey also shows that where both of the people separating go and see a mediator for an initial meeting, three quarters choose to go on to mediate. This is despite the fact that many don’t know anything about mediation, or think their partner is so unreasonable that mediation will never work.
John Taylor, Chair of the Family Mediation Council said: ‘It is not surprising that so many people who attend a first meeting with a mediator choose to go on to mediate. The meeting (sometimes called a “Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting”, or “MIAM”) provides people with an opportunity to find out what family mediation is, how it might work for them and the practicalities and costs involved, as well as the alternatives if they choose not to mediate. Once people realise that family mediation is less expensive than being represented in court proceedings, as well as being less stressful and quicker than the court process, most realise it is a conversation worth having.’
Full survey results can found here.
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*The FMC surveyed 122 FMC-registered family mediators in Autumn 2019, who had carried out mediation in 2161 cases over a six-month period. It found that those who participated in mediation succeeded in reaching complete or partial agreement in over 70% of cases, with 50% of people reaching a complete, written agreement, and the remaining 20% reaching an agreement on some issues, or on all issues, but choosing for this not to be written down.
