Mediation is the process by which families can negotiate about future arrangements for children with the help of a neutral third party. The mediator does not tell parties what to do, but can help the parties to reach their own agreements amicably, whilst trying to improve communication between them.

Child custody mediation is a process in which parents work together to develop a plan for parenting their children after divorce with the help of a neutral 3rd party. The mediation process is one in which parents work together to devise a parenting plan that is mutually acceptable to both parents.

Tips for making mediation successful

1. Focus on the your child’s best interest as you make decisions.
2. Listen to the mediator and the other parent.
3. Get enough sleep the night before.
4. Set aside personal conflicts with the other parent.
5. Be courteous, calm, and professional.
6. Stay on topic and avoid talking about other issues.

But research also indicates children tend to have more problems after a divorce if their parents remain strongly conflicted. Mediation programs can help nurture healthy family relationships after the divorce. Here are six child custody mediation tips that help everyone win.

MediateUK are a mediation service with offices all over England. The FMC is a not for profit organisation that maintains a professional register of family mediators. It doesn’t provide mediation itself or recommend a particular provider.

Mediation is recommended when parents find it hard to agree on making suitable arrangements for children after a family breakdown. There are several advantages to attending mediation, such as: providing a quicker and cheaper way of resolving disputes.

First of all, if you have a legitimate reason for believing that your child’s other parent is abusing or neglecting your child, or is otherwise behaving in a way that poses a real danger to the child—abusing substances during parenting time, for example—then mediation is probably not the best forum for your dispute.