With our thoughts turning to Mother’s Day on Sunday 11^th March, one cannot help trying to imagine how many Mother’s Day cards may be bought in celebration of Mother’s Day.

To give some insight into the number of Mother’s Day cards that may be sold, last year’s National Statistics office for 2016 stated that there were 12.7 million families living in the UK. Assuming that every, Mother was to receive a card that is a record-breaking number of cards!

According to Charity Gingerbread statistics there are now approx. 2 million single parents living in the UK, which highlights the sad fact that because of a family breakup, a great number of Mothers, or indeed Grandmothers may not be receiving a card this Mother’s Day.

Debbie Hillman from Charity Kent Family Mediation Service explains, “When a relationship breakdown happens between parents, very often the dynamics of that family unit will change. If the parent’s separation was not amicable, or there are unresolved issues over money, child maintenance, child contact, or the family home, this can cause a great deal of hostility between both parents, grandparents and other extended family members. Sadly, following a parent’s separation, through no fault of their own, children may lose contact with the other parent and that parent’s family.

Fortunately, there are ways in which bridges can be re-built, people can learn to communicate with each other once more, and these relationships can once again flourish; Family Mediation being one of them. Family Mediation works by giving people of opposing beliefs the opportunity to sit down in a neutral environment, with an impartial, trained Family Mediator. Family Mediation allows people to discuss sensitive issues, to look at things from all perspectives and at the same time diffuse any conflict and feelings of negativity to enable both sides to focus on the facts and to find a way forward by way of a mutual agreement. Agreements made in mediation can be made legally binding without the need to go to court and agreements do not necessarily have to be about children, they can instead include other matters for example disputes or disagreements over a property, pension, will and general finances. There are 12 mediation venues in most towns across Kent.

Legal Aid is still available for family mediation. Family Mediation is free for anyone who is assessed as being eligible to claim it, and this will entitle the other person in the dispute to a free first mediation meeting and a free first mediation session. Find out more about legally aided and affordable, private family mediation in Kent.

Father’s Day on Sunday 17^th June, with the odds stacked in favour of the weather continuing to be warm and sunny, it is the perfect excuse for Sons and Daughters all over the UK to spend some quality time outside, enjoying the sunshine with their Dads.

According to a study by Gingerbread, the single parents Charity, there are two million single parents living in the UK; 90% of these are single Mums and only 10% being single Dads. This percentage has more or less stayed the same over the past ten years, with the average age of these single Dads being 45 years old. Further study has shown that single Dads are more than twice as likely to be widowers, than single Mums are.

If this is your first Father’s Day, as a ‘Single Dad’, and your children do not live with you, you may already be wondering what you will be doing, and whether you will you be seeing, or speaking to your child on this special day.

Debbie Hillman from Kent Charity, Kent Mediation Service, says ‘If you find that you are in the position where you have split up with the other parent of your child and communication has broken down with them, or you constantly find yourself getting drawn into an argument with them, then please don’t despair, Family Mediation may be able to help. Family Mediation has been proven to work and can be paid for privately, or it can be free for clients if they have been assessed as being eligible to claim Legal Aid. Sitting down together to talk things through with an impartial, trained Family Mediator can help resolve a number of arguments, including; how much time each parent spends with the children, arranging holidays, schooling, homework and non-payment of child maintenance, through to resolving issues over money, debts, and what will happen to the jointly rented, or owned family home. Agreements reached in Family Mediation can be made legally binding, which does away with the stress, time, and money that it takes to have the matters dealt with in the Family Courts and it gives parents control of decisions that affect their own lives, and those of their children”.

Make a referral to attend Family Mediation in Kent.