Archive | News

The school term is only a few weeks old, but this month many parents are casting their eyes almost a full year ahead to September 2024, when their child will be due to start secondary school. With applications for next autumn’s secondary school places due to close on 31 October, many parents are considering their […]

Family dispute resolution experts are preparing for an increase in demand from separating parents as the school summer holiday heads towards a close. John Taylor, Chair of The Family Mediation Council, says the various pressures of the six-week holiday often lead to a rise in the number of parents calling time on their relationship – […]

The Family Mediation Council (FMC) was invited to participate in an Oral Evidence session of the House of Commons Justice Select Commitee on Monday 19 June. The session formed part of the Committee’s work looking into a government proposal that could require families seeking help with arrangements to separate to seek mediation before taking their […]

Ministers given professional family mediator views: FMC response to ‘mandatory mediation’ consultation The professionals have spoken … now it’s over to Ministers to take the right steps to boost family mediation numbers The home of regulated family mediation in England and Wales, The Family Mediation Council, (“the FMC”) has published its response to government proposals […]

During April and May 2023, the FMC organised a series of online meetings, giving opportunities for Mediators to help shape the FMC response to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation, ‘Early resolution of private family law arrangements.’ In May, a joint meeting of the FMC and the Family Mediation Standards Board drew together the views that […]

The Family Mediation Council response to the Family Procedure Rule Committee consultation, Early resolution of private family law arrangements, is now available. This was a consultation on strengthening existing rules and practice directions to encourage earlier resolution and on private family law children and financial remedy arrangements, which closed on 25 May 2023. You can read […]

Family Mediators from across England and Wales have been giving their views on government proposals which could make mediation mandatory in all suitable low-level family court cases. The Family Mediation Council (“FMC”) has run six online meetings, giving opportunities for Accredited Mediators to help shape the FMC response to the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) proposals. “Ministers […]

Family mediators were able to give their views about government plans to boost numbers of separating families using mediation to make settlements, when The Family Mediation Council (“the FMC”) staged a special series of online meetings for them. The Ministry of Justice has set out a number of proposals aimed at helping separating families in […]

Government proposals set to steer families away from stress, costs and delays New government family law proposals could accelerate a cultural shift for separating couples away from family courts, says The Family Mediation Council (“the FMC”). A series of new measures proposed in a consultation this week by the Ministry of Justice aim to help […]

Raising the profile of family mediation: over 1,600 people spell event success With a collective attendance of over 1,600 people, a series of webinars forming part of Family Mediation Week 2023 has been declared a success… with plans for 2024’s corresponding event already under way. Family Mediation Week, which has become a much-welcomed annual family […]