The latest figures reveal a family justice system under immense pressure. Across the region, a shortage of judges and an increase in self-represented “litigants in person” mean that simple disputes over child holiday rotas or asset divisions are taking months to even get a first hearing.

The longer a dispute drags on in court, the higher the emotional and financial cost. Children are left caught in the middle of parental conflict while waiting for a judge to make decisions that parents are usually better equipped to make themselves.

Family mediation sidesteps this queue completely. Instead of waiting nearly a year for a court date, most couples who choose mediation can resolve their child and financial arrangements within 2 to 4 sessions.

Judges Are Punishing Those Who Refuse to Mediate

The courts are actively pushing back against unnecessary litigation. Under strict rules governing family procedures, judges now have the power to stop court proceedings (known as “adjourning” a case) if they feel a couple hasn’t properly considered Non-Court Dispute Resolution (NCDR), like mediation.

If one party unreasonably refuses to attend mediation and insists on going to court, the judge can order them to pay the other party’s legal costs. Going to court out of spite or refusing to negotiate is now a very expensive mistake.

At Kent Family Mediation Service, we can help you bypass the court drama, even better? The government will likely pay for it if you are eligible for Legal Aid or the £500 government mediation voucher.

You could be eligible for 100% free family mediation and free legal help. Avoid court and resolve disputes out of court with Kent Family Mediation Service

Going through a separation or divorce is incredibly stressful, especially when you are trying to figure out child arrangements or how to split assets on a tight budget

You don’t have to go through a lengthy, expensive battle in the family courts

If you are currently claiming Universal Credit, you could be entitled to 100% free family mediation through the Legal Aid scheme
At Kent Family Mediation Service, we help separating couples sort out the future calmly, quickly, and without the financial strain. Here is exactly how the process works and how you can access it for free

What is Family Mediation?

Family mediation is a structured process where an independent, accredited and professional mediator helps you and your ex-partner reach fair agreements. Rather than letting a judge make life-changing decisions for your family, mediation keeps you in control
It is the courts’ preferred method for resolving disputes, and it is highly effective: 89% of family mediation cases result in an agreement

Mediation can help you agree on:
• Child arrangements: Where your children will live, contact schedules, and school holiday rotas
• Finances and property: How to handle the family home, household bills, debts, and pensions

How Universal Credit Qualifies You for Free Mediation
While private legal fees can quickly spiral, the government provides Legal Aid to ensure everyone has access to justice
Because Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit, it acts as a “passport” benefit for mediation funding. If you receive Universal Credit and have minimal capital assets, you will generally pass the Legal Aid assessment automatically

What is included for free?

If you qualify for Legal Aid through Kent Family Mediation Service, you will receive:

1. A Free MIAM, your initial Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting is fully covered

2. Free Mediation Sessions, all of your joint mediation appointments cost you nothing

3. Free Help from a Solicitor: You will receive free legal advice from a participating family solicitor to help formalise your agreements

The Best Part, unlike other forms of Legal Aid, family mediation funding never has to be paid back, even after you reach a financial or property settlement

What If My Ex-Partner Does Not Qualify for Legal Aid?
This is a common worry, but the system is designed to be fair. If you qualify for Legal Aid but your ex-partner does not, the government will still cover the cost of their MIAM and their very first joint mediation session.
Additionally, for cases involving children, we can help access the government’s Family Mediation Voucher Scheme, which provides up to £500 per case toward further mediation sessions for non-eligible parties

How to Get Started
We make the process as simple and stress-free as possible. Because we know life is busy, most of our meetings are held virtually online, allowing you to attend from the comfort of your own home anywhere in Kent

1. Contact us, it takes 2 minutes
Get in touch with the team at Kent Family Mediation Service via our website or phone to request an initial assessment

2. Provide Proof of Universal Credit or low income, this is needed for free funding
We will ask you to show recent documentary evidence of your Universal Credit or low income and a brief overview of your financial position to confirm your Legal Aid eligibility

3. Book Your MIAM, this is your separate initial meeting
You will attend a private, one-to-one Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) with one of our accredited mediators to discuss your situation safely

4. Begin Joint Mediation and start resolving the dispute
Once both sides are ready, we will schedule your joint online mediation sessions to help you build a practical plan for the future

Don’t let the stress of separation impact your finances or your peace of mind. Contact Kent Family Mediation Service today to find out how we can help you move forward for free

The Separated Parents Information Programme (SPIP) will be coming to an end after 31st March 2023. Kent Family Mediation Service will no longer be delivering SPIP after this date.

A new service ‘Planning Together for Children’ will be replacing SPIP from 1st April 2023. Please refer the Cafcass website (https://www.cafcass.gov.uk/grown-ups/parents-and-carers/divorce-and-separation/parenting-together/) for more information and delivery provider for Planning Together for Children.

We are pleased to announce that Kent Family Mediation Service is once again the Kent Provider of the Cafcass & Family Court Ordered Separated Parents Information Programme (SPIP).

The Separated Parents Information Programme (SPIP) is a course which helps you understand how to put your children first while you are separating, even though you may be in dispute with your child’s other parent. The course helps parents learn the fundamental principles of how to manage conflict and difficulties. Parents do not attend the same workshop as their partner..

Courts have the power, by making a court order, to ‘direct’ parents to attend a programme aimed at promoting safe contact with children. Cafcass is usually asked to advise the court if it is suitable for you. You can be ordered to go to a SPIP (there is no charge for Cafcass service user to attend) and/or to a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM). After your court hearing Cafcass will send a SPIP referral on your behalf to your nearest SPIP service provider. The SPIP service provider will then contact you to arrange a date for you to attend your SPIP workshop. Kent Family Mediation Service is the provider for Kent SPIP workshops.

Non Court-Ordered SPIP

As the School Easter holidays approach this week, many parents will have been busy planning to take their children away on holiday, or spend quality time with them, but for many separated parents, the Easter break can be a time of frustration and resentfulness, particularly if they are unable to reach an agreement with the other parent over how much time they are able to spend with their children during the school holidays.

Debbie Hillman from Charity Kent Family Mediation explains that owing to unresolved hostility and over charged emotions it can often be difficult for separated parents to put their differences aside long enough to reach agreement over child contact during school holidays. The penalties that are now imposed for taking children out of school during term time has added to the stress, putting more pressure on parents to reach agreements over how much time they each spend with the children in these often short spaces of time.

Debbie points out that with an 89% success rate, Family Mediation has been proven to work in the majority of cases and that Family Mediation is a far quicker, fairer and much more affordable way for parents to reach agreements over child contact during school holidays. Family Mediators are trained to diffuse hostility and conflict between parents, getting them to focus on reaching an agreement that is in the interests of their children. Patterns of contact can be trialled to ensure that agreements are workable, realistic and meet everyone’s expectations before any final agreement is reached. More importantly, decisions affecting the children are made by both parents and any child related agreements made during family mediation are built with flexibility taking into account a child’s changing needs as they get older.

Book an appointment at your nearest Kent Family Mediation Venue.

Sunday 17^th June 2018 will be Father’s day, a day when a great number of Dads will be looking forward to celebrating their role as a Father.

Historically and traditionally, Fathers have always played an important role in family life, often known as the ‘head of the household’, the ‘master of the house’, the ‘matriarch of the family’, or for some families; the ‘main breadwinner’ when the Mother would stay at home to look after the children. However, over the past few decades, a great number of Dads have become ‘stay at home Dads’ who solely provide the day to day care for any dependent children of the family and this number is on the rise.

It has been said that the main reasons for the rise of the ‘stay at home Dad’ is that over recent years, more women have taken on higher paying jobs or career paths. In many instances, women are now able to earn more than their partner can. In circumstances like this, it often makes financial sense for the other parent to stay at home to look after the children. Another reason is that owing to the current economic climate; a number of people may not be able to find jobs, and because of this, some Fathers are unable to find work, or are not able to work and will stay at home to look after the children of the family while the Mothers go out to work.

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that last year, 201,500 single Dads stayed at home to look after their dependent children, an increase of 30,000 from 2014. Sadly, according to the report, the reason behind some Dads staying at home to care for their children is because they were a widow and that 39% of the 30,000 single ‘stay at home Dads’ did so, because of a divorce or relationship break up.

Debbie Hillman from Charity Kent Family Mediation Service says, “The past decade has seen a sharp increase in the number of family breakups. Now, as many as one in three children will see their parents separate before they have reached the age of 15. As a long-standing family mediation service, we have seen the number of referrals that we receive rise sharply over the past three years. We receive mediation referrals from parents, grandparents and other family members who need help with family disputes following a relationship split, an impending divorce, or a family separation. The types of cases that our family mediators can help with include finances, property, pensions, and disputes over the family home, but the majority of the cases that our family mediators see involve children.

Debbie explains, “Family mediation is the family courts preferred way of dealing with family disputes, as it is quicker and cheaper than going down the legal route, particularly if one or both of the clients are eligible to claim Legal Aid, which entitles that person to free mediation. With a high success rate, family mediation also offers a more amicable route to a achieving a workable resolution that meets everyone needs, especially those of any children”. Debbie points out that every mediation case is different and that therefore each agreement reached, is unique to those clients individual set of circumstances. For instance, one way of resolving a dispute of contact over children could be by way of a ‘shared parenting agreement’ between both parents, where the child spends an equal amount of time with both parents, however this type of arrangement may not work for another family and further options would need exploring. Debbie urges anyone who finds himself or herself in a situation where they have reached a position where they feel unable to find an amicable way forward, not to give up hope and to try family mediation before they do anything else.

Kent family mediation service has mediation centres across Kent. Make a referral to arrange a mediation appointment.

While the long school summer holiday signals a lull for many Kent businesses, the opposite is true for a charity based in Kent, which says demand for its family mediation services from divorcing and separating couples are again seeing an upturn.

Debbie Hillman of Kent Family Mediation Service says, “Six weeks of summer holiday is the final straw for many strained relationships. It’s a breaking point for many couples who then need to start making arrangements for their separation.”

She identifies three factors that shift many of them from an uneasy relationship to an unworkable one during the summer:

• More family time together in close proximity
• Changes in established daily routines, and
• The expense of going away, and keeping family members entertained

“It’s not just the week away somewhere warm, but the time at home when stressed-out families are spending more time together that proves the relationship is untenable,” Debbie says.

Kent Family Mediation Service is a member of the National Family Mediation network, which featured in the recent BBC Two TV series ‘Mr v Mrs: Call The Mediator’ that raised the profile of family mediation as an alternative means of resolving family disputes.

“More and more people now understand that when a relationship breaks down and property, finance and parenting arrangements need to be sorted, you don’t have to head off to a solicitor and a court room battle,” adds Debbie “There are alternative ways to make settlements, which is where Kent Family Mediation Service comes in.

“Family mediation is four times quicker and more cost effective than going to court to settle a divorce. Professional mediators understand the families affected by separation are best placed to explore and agree the key details of their separation, rather than handing these judgements to a family court.”

Debbie added that as the summer holiday goes on, Kent Family Mediation Service sees more and more couples who have already separated or divorced seeking to change the arrangements imposed on them by a family court.

“Separated families often find the summer holiday is when they discover agreements that were imposed on them by courts are simply not workable. Arrangements for picking up and dropping off the children that might work in term-time prove to be impractical by changes in established routines. Resentments resurface, hostilities accelerate, and the child can be caught helplessly in the middle,” Debbie says.

Legal Aid is still available for family mediation clients. Those that are assessed as being eligible will be entitled to free family mediation with no payback. 

Make a referral to attend family mediation in Kent

With people living longer nowadays, Grandparents are now not always the eldest members of the family; there can often be as many as four generations of family members within one family alone. It is therefore not surprising to find the estimation that at least half of the 14 million grandparents in the UK, are now under the age of 65 years.

Historically families always lived very close by to one another, in the same street or geographical area. Over the years, with easier commuting and social networking enabling cheaper, easier communication, many families have moved further away from each other. However, recent economic times, a higher cost of living, with unaffordable child care costs and a lack of affordable housing has dictated that many families now live together in order to assist each other financially. Often, a number of generations will live in the same household, or other separate accommodation on the one premises, making it easier for parents to go out to work or enabling parents to save for a home of their own, leaving Grandparents being joint carers for any children of the family.

Whether living close by, or separated by a great distance, a child’s relationship with their Grandparents is vitally important; Studies have shown that Grandparents are paramount for a child’s social, cognitive, and behavioural development. A child can go to their Grandparents for unconditional love, stability, and support; something that not all parents are in a position to give as freely as they might like to, especially if they are single parents, or if they have full time jobs. Grandparents are also able to pass on to their Grandchildren values and skills they themselves have learnt about life in addition to valuable information about their families’ ancestors, history, and cultural roots. This can not only help a child to establish their own identity, but will at the same time, instil in them life-long learning and a sense of belonging, something which they can then pass on to their own children one day.

Debbie Hillman of Charity Kent Family Mediation says, “Sunday 7th October 2018 is National Grandparents Day, a day when maternal and paternal Grandparents should be remembered and given credit for the important part that they have played in family life. Sadly, there are some Grandparents that for whatever reason they may have been denied contact with their Grandchild and as such are in a position where they are unable to take an active part in their Grandchildren’s lives. Grandparents can enrich a child’s life in many ways and when a Grandparent is no longer involved with the family, it can often leave a big void in the family that cannot be filled.

Family mediation can help estranged grandparents and parents come together to work through any conflict and rebuild relationships for the benefit of the whole family. Legal Aid is still available for family mediation and clients that are assessed as being eligible to claim Legal Aid will be entitled to free family mediation. This money will not have to be paid back at any point, even after a financial settlement.”

Make a referral for family mediation

As October, school half term brings a reminder that Christmas is looming, a Kent based family charity says help is available for separated parents who are worried about where their children will spend the festive season this year.

“Across Kent there are separated families who are literally dreading Christmas,” says Debbie Hillman of Kent Family Mediation Service which helps families reach post-separation agreements on parenting, money and property.

“Christmas isn’t a time of joy for many separated families. Far from it,” Debbie says, adding, “By acting now to agree a simple parenting plan, parents can ease the anxieties and help move everyone on a more positive footing as December edges closer.

“Many separated couples face huge festive pressures. Christmas heaps tension upon tension as they find settlements imposed by divorce courts are impractical, leaving the child caught helplessly in the middle of a miserable December.

“Routine living arrangements that have worked well all year are often ditched for a couple of weeks, with turmoil for pick-ups and drop-offs when children need to visit relatives they haven’t seen all year.”

 “But by acting soon to make sensible plans, parents can in fact ensure their child has as positive and enjoyable Christmas as possible.

 “A parenting plan is easier to agree than many people think. Starting with an open mind, parents need to accept that whilst their own relationship can’t be saved, the vital bonds between child and each parent can actually go from strength to strength.”

 A parenting plan is an agreement made by separated parents, covering how the children will continue to be supported and cared for. Family dispute specialists can help bring parents together, building on the common ground and shaping a plan that points the way ahead for the good of all family members, especially the children. Legal Aid remains available for family mediation. Clients that are assessed as being eligible to claim Legal Aid will be entitled to free family mediation. This money will not have to be paid back.

Parents who want to know more should contact Kent Family Mediation Service