LAKES

MEDIATION Sunderland

Helping couples across the North West resolve conflict around children and financial disputes themselves without the need of courts or solicitors…

Lakes Mediation Sunderland

There will always be disputes between families but choosing mediation is a better solution for dispute resolution – avoid court contact us today!

Lakes Mediation Sunderland

Finances

In many family disputes, financial issues are a significant factor, whether it's a divorce or a property settlement. Financial mediation involves a neutral third-party facilitator who helps both parties to identify the issues they have and comes up with options and strategies for a mutually agreeable resolution.

This approach can save time, money, and stress, considering the potential cost of litigation.

The mediator will help the parties to compile a list of assets, debts, and income, providing a clear picture of the financial situation so that parties can effectively negotiate on these key areas.

Find Out More About Financial Disputes

Children

Parental separation can be difficult, and this can put children at the heart of family disputes. In such instances, family mediation can provide a safe and supportive environment for parents to communicate openly about the best interests of their children.

Mediators can assist parents in creating a parenting plan that works for both parties, covering elements such as visitation schedules, holidays, and school activities.

Family mediation helps parents to manage their emotions and reach an agreement that focuses on the well-being of their children.

Learn More About Child Access

Grandparents

Sometimes, grandparents can find themselves estranged from their grandchildren, which can cause distress and heartache for both parties.

Family mediation can provide an opportunity for grandparents to reconnect with their grandchildren and rebuild relationships. It's a place to talk openly and honestly about the underlying causes of the conflict and explore practical solutions.

With Lakes Mediation, grandparent mediation can help to create a peaceful and positive solution that restores longstanding relationships.

Explore More on Child Maintenance

Pension

One of the most significant assets that are often part of divorce negotiations is the pension.
It's a complicated asset to value and divide, and if not managed correctly, it can result in unfairness or even financial ruin. That is where a family mediator comes in.
A family mediator can discuss the details of your pension and how it is valued, as well as explore options for division.
Through mediation sessions, you and your spouse can work together to reach a mutual agreement on how the pension will be divided.

Understand More About Pension

HOME OWNERSHIP

Another common topic in family mediation is home ownership disputes. When dealing with such issues, parties have the opportunity to make agreements concerning the family home.
They can decide who lives in the property, how the costs are shared, or how and when it's sold. Additionally, couples going through a divorce may be able to reach a settlement whereby one party maintains living in the home with the children while the other party is able to obtain their share in the equity of the property.
Family mediation can also be a chance to talk through, explore and resolve feelings related to the family home, which may help both parties come to a resolution quicker than if the matter was being disputed through the court system.

See More About Home Ownership

Child Arrangements Order Sunderland

Arrangements for School Holidays

One of the primary things that a child arrangement order addresses is how parents will share the responsibilities of raising their child.

This includes deciding who the child will live with, how often they will see the other parent, and how they will share expenses related to the child’s care. Additionally, the order may specify arrangements for school holidays, which can be a contentious issue for separated parents.

When deciding on arrangements for school holidays, the court will take into account the child’s age and needs, as well as the parents’ schedules and availability. For example, if one parent has a more flexible job or schedule, they may be responsible for taking care of the child during school holidays.

Ultimately, the goal of the arrangement is to ensure that both parents have meaningful and consistent relationships with the child, even if they are not living together.

Arrangements for Christmas

Christmas is a magical time of the year, and it’s crucial to make arrangements to ensure that both parents can spend time with their children.

The CAO agreement should consider the holidays and time that each parent will spend with their children.

For instance, one parent could have the child from Christmas Eve to noon on Dec 25th, and the other parent could have the child from noon on Dec 25th to Boxing Day. It’s essential to establish a routine that works for both parents and is also in the child’s best interest.

Arrangements for Birthdays

Birthdays are a significant day for any child, and it’s essential to make sure they get to spend them with loved ones.

You can include details about how to celebrate the child’s birthdays in your Child Arrangements Order.

You might agree that the child should spend the whole day with one parent or be with one parent for the first part of the day and the other parent for the latter part.

The court recognizes that each child is unique and will consider the child’s wishes, age, and what is reasonable for both parents.

Spousal Maintenance Sunderland

Often, when a couple breaks up it becomes necessary to discuss spousal maintenance or alimony. The process is often emotionally charged, but mediation provides a sense of collaboration and understanding. The following are the benefits of spousal maintenance:

Flexibility: Mediation is not a one-size-fits-all solution, so it allows for more flexibility in creating unique solutions to the issue.
Neutral mediator: The mediator is a neutral third-party to facilitate discussion and assist the couple in reaching a solution that is satisfactory to both parties.
Saves time: With mediation, the process can be handled in a few sessions, sometimes even in one session. It takes much longer to resolve matters in court.
Confidentiality: In divorce cases, financial and emotional information can be particularly sensitive. Mediation ensures that matters are kept private and confidential.

Why Choose lakes Mediation Sunderland Over Court?

Why Mediation Is Needed

One of the primary reasons for seeking family mediation is to avoid costly and time-consuming court proceedings.

Family mediation can also help families to reach an agreement while reducing the emotional stress caused by disputes.

In addition, mediation puts control in the hands of the family members involved in the conflict, rather than a judge.

The mediator facilitates discussions and helps parties identify their interests and priorities to create a solution that works for everyone.

Is It Legally Binding?

Family mediation is not legally binding, but parties can choose to make the agreement legally binding by drafting a Consent Order or signing a contract.

Such arrangements can be binding and enforceable in court.

It’s important to understand that although mediation is not legally binding, parties must comply with agreements reached during mediation. In some cases, parties are legally required to attempt mediation before taking legal action.

What Is
Mediation?

Lakes Mediation is a reputable and efficient mediation service provider. Our mediator, Rachel Lake, is a trained and experienced mediator with a background in law.

Rachel understands the importance of the family dynamics and strives to resolve issues in a timely and appropriate manner. We offer customized and confidential mediation sessions, tailored to meet the specific needs of each party.

Additionally, Lakes Mediation offers a cost-effective alternative to court litigation, and we aim to achieve excellent results for all involved parties.

Benefits of Lakes Mediation Sunderland

Family conflicts can be difficult to navigate, especially when emotions run high and communication breaks down. When disputes escalate, legal battles often follow. However, there is another way to resolve family conflicts that is much less stressful and costly. Family mediation is a process where a third-party mediator helps two or more parties negotiate and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of family mediation and why you should consider it as an alternative to litigation.

Mediating can help in several ways, including:

providing a less stressful way of dealing with sensitive matters
facilitating communication and helping you sort out future arrangements
making it easier to review and change arrangements as long as both parties agree
and being a faster and cheaper way of resolving disputes.

MIAMS Session

To what end does a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) serve?

The initial consultation with a trained family mediator to discuss whether or not mediation could help you resolve your dispute outside of court is called a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM).

Mediators Role

The mediator’s job is to help you and the other parent talk through your problems, consider possible solutions, evaluate how well they would work inpractise, and ultimately agree on the best course of action.

In shuttle mediation, the disputing parties are separated into separate rooms, and the mediator “shuttles” between them until they strike a compromise.

Confidential

The mediator is obligated to retain in strictest confidence any information shared with them during the mediation process.
Since is it can be or at any if it becomes that one or both aren’t a through it.

It is the mediator’s responsibility to ensure that the interests and perspectives of the children involved are taken into account.

Miams

When family disputes occur, communication and compromise are often difficult to achieve on one’s own. This is where family mediation comes into play. Lakes Mediation offers a resolution-focused approach to family conflicts, with the objective of reaching mutually agreed upon solutions that work for everyone. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of family mediation, as well as the importance of attending MIAMs (Mediation Information and Assessment Meetings) prior to the mediation process.

SUCCESS STORIES
From Lakes Mediation Sunderland Clients

After our divorce I was seeing less and less of the children. Things were becoming strained and as I work shifts it was stressful. With Lakes help we sorted out an access plan within 2 short sessions thank you!

J. Evans

Lincs

The option of shuttle and online mediation made things possible for us. After years of arguments I was amazed that we reached a financial decision within a 4 sessions. We are now both able to move forward.

B. Smith

Cumbria

When our relationship ended we were unable to come to an agreement on our business we built together. Lakes mediation held a safe and confidential space for us to come to a mutual agreement and avoid the stress and cost of court. Thank you!

V. Frazier

Newcastle