We are proud to be supporting Family Mediation Week (21-25 January), which seeks to promote the benefits of giving children a voice as part of the mediation process.

Adele Wilkinson, partner and head of Andrew Jackson’s dedicated family mediation service, Family Solutions, said: – “The focus for this year’s Family Mediation Week is not only to raise awareness of mediation as a viable alternative to costly court battles but crucially, to ensure that the children of separating couples have a clear voice throughout the mediation process.”

Adele and her colleague Sally-Anne Clough are both qualified and experienced Child Inclusive Mediators who regularly speak to children, to ensure that they have an opportunity to be heard, as part of their parent’s mediation.

Adele said: – “Many people thinking about separation or divorce believe that they will inevitably find themselves in court and, every year, thousands of families are torn apart by bitter court battles. Relationships between separating parents are sometimes irretrievably broken, and all too often their children are caught up in the middle.

“Family mediation has helped many divorcing parents build a constructive future for their family, without a court imposing decisions on them. Research shows that mediation is often the best way for families to resolve conflicts. It is faster, less costly and – crucially – less hostile than divorcing through the courts.

“We would strongly encourage separating couples to ensure that a mediator is their first port of call to help ensure that the process is as balanced as possible for all those affected, especially children,” she added.