Family Mediation Jersey
We provide a mediation service which aims to help separated or divorced couples and other family members make decisions regarding finances and childcare.
Family Mediation Jersey (FMJ) can help you make joint decisions to resolve and prevent further disputes. Mediators don’t tell you what to do but help you reach your own agreements. Freely negotiated decisions can help restore communication, understanding and trust between you. If you have children, you, as parents, are the best people to decide their future. With mediation you might not have to go through court.
Family mediation is voluntary and confidential. The process starts with an initial meeting or intake for each client which is free of charge. This is a discussion between you and mediators about the background and what you wish to achieve through mediation. Intakes usually last 45–60 minutes.
After both parties have had their intakes, if suitable for mediation, we move onto joint session(s). These usually last 60–90 minutes.
After each session, summaries are provided to clients as an aide-memoir and documentation relating to final agreements reached will be produced for clients as a basis to produce something legally binding through lawyers. As we are not legal experts, we always advise people to seek advice before a final agreement is reached.
Mediation sessions can take place in separate rooms if being together in one room is too difficult and we also offer the opportunity for children’s voices to be heard as part of the mediation process by arranging meetings separately with them. Find out more here.
WHO DO WE HELP?
If you are facing divorce, separation or other family disputes and don’t know which way to turn, family mediation can help you sort arrangements for children, property, finance and other important matters.
Couples
You might be thinking about separating or getting divorced, or you may have already done this. Your situation may be tense and communication between you difficult.
Parents
Parents are encouraged to consider all the implications of the arrangements they propose to make for the children.
Other family members
We can help step parents, step brothers and sisters, grandparents and others in an existing or new family resolve differences and communicate more effectively, helping to rebuild and strengthen relationships which have broken down for what might be many different reasons.
Children and young people
Young people may want to mediate directly with a parent, step parent or another family member and this can be facilitated through FMJ.