Family Mediation for Divorce

I can support you to find practical and lasting solutions together, and at your own pace.

Divorce and separation can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be filled with conflict.

What Can Family Mediation Help With?

Family mediation can help you work through many of the practical decisions that arise after separation or divorce. You can use mediation to discuss one particular issue or several aspects of your separation together.

Arrangements for Children

You can use mediation for child arrangements to discuss:

• where your children will live;
• how they will spend time with each parent;
• holidays, special occasions;
• and other practical parenting arrangements.

The focus is on helping you find arrangements that work for your children and are manageable for both of you.

Finances and Property

Family mediation can also help you work through financial arrangements following separation, including:

• the family home and other property;
• savings and investments;
• pensions;
• mortgages and other debts;
• income and future financial needs; and
• how assets may be divided.

Where finances are involved, I will guide you through the financial disclosure process so that you can both understand the financial picture before exploring possible options.

Your Wider Separation

You may also use mediation to discuss practical issues arising from your separation, particularly where decisions about children, housing and finances overlap.

This means you do not necessarily have to treat each issue in isolation. Where appropriate, mediation can help you look at your circumstances as a whole.

How Does Family Mediation for Divorce and Separation Work?

Family mediation usually starts with an individual Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM). This gives you an opportunity to talk privately about your circumstances, understand how mediation works and consider whether it is suitable.

If mediation is suitable and you both decide to proceed, the next stage is joint mediation.

During mediation, I help you:

• identify the issues that need to be addressed
• gather and understand relevant information
• explore different options
• consider the practical implications of those options
• work towards proposals that you can both accept

If you are discussing finances, you will each need to provide financial information and supporting documents so that you can both understand the financial position before considering possible outcomes.

If you reach proposals through mediation, I can prepare the appropriate mediation documents recording what you have discussed and proposed. Where necessary, you can then take independent legal advice about making those proposals legally binding.

Why Choose Family Mediation for Divorce and Separation?

Separation can leave you facing important decisions at a time when communication may already feel difficult. Family mediation gives you a structured way to work through those decisions together, with the support of an independent mediator.

• You remain involved in the decisions. Rather than asking someone else to decide what should happen, you explore possible solutions together.

• You can focus on what matters to your family. Mediation gives you flexibility to discuss the issues that are important to you, whether they involve children, finances or both.

• You can move at a pace that works for you. You are not restricted by a court timetable and can use your mediation sessions to work through issues in a manageable way.

• It can reduce conflict. I help keep discussions focused on the future and on finding practical ways forward rather than revisiting every disagreement from the past.

• It can be more cost-effective than contested court proceedings. You share the mediation process rather than each relying entirely on separate professionals to negotiate every issue.

• It can support future communication. This can be particularly important where you will continue to make decisions together as parents.

Family mediation will not be right for every family or every situation. Part of my role is to assess whether mediation is suitable and to help you understand the other options available if it is not.

Is Family Mediation Right for Us?

Family mediation can work well where you both want to find a practical way forward and feel able to take part in discussions about the decisions that need to be made.

You do not need to agree with each other before mediation starts. In fact, disagreement is often the reason people come to mediation in the first place. What matters is whether you can both engage with the process and consider possible options.

Mediation may be particularly helpful where you want to:

• make arrangements for your children
• work through finances and property after separation
• understand each other’s priorities
• explore different possible solutions
• avoid asking a court to make decisions for you where possible
• find a more constructive way to move forward

However, family mediation is not suitable for every situation.

Before joint mediation begins, I meet with each of you individually. This gives me an opportunity to understand your circumstances, discuss any concerns and assess whether mediation is suitable and safe.

If I do not consider mediation appropriate, I will explain this to you and help you understand the other options that may be available.

A Guided Step-by-Step Approach

You do not need to have everything worked out before mediation begins. I guide you through the process step by step and explain what information you will need at each stage.

If you are discussing finances, you do not need to have gathered every financial document before your first meeting. I will explain what information and supporting documents you will each need to provide and guide you through the financial disclosure process.

Once you have both provided the necessary financial information, we can look at the overall financial picture together and identify any areas that need clarification before you start exploring possible options.

Throughout the mediation process, I help you:

• understand what information is needed

• identify the issues that need to be addressed

• keep discussions focused and structured

• explore realistic options

• consider the practical implications of different proposals

• work towards arrangements that you can both accept

You remain responsible for the decisions you make. My role is to provide a fair and structured process, help you understand the issues and support constructive discussions.

About Your Family Mediator

I’m Cathy O’Mahoney, an FMC-accredited family mediator and non-practising solicitor, with over 30 years’ legal experience and nearly 20 years’ experience in mediation.

My background means I understand both the legal framework surrounding separation and divorce and the practical realities of helping people work through difficult decisions together.

As your mediator, I remain neutral and impartial. I do not take sides or provide legal advice to either of you. Instead, I provide legal information where appropriate, help you identify the issues that need to be addressed and manage discussions in a fair and structured way.

My approach is practical and forward-looking. I help you understand the process, consider your options and work through the decisions that matter to you and your family, step by step.

Family Mediation Voucher Scheme

If your mediation involves arrangements for children, you may be eligible for the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme, which can provide up to £500 per family towards the cost of eligible mediation sessions.

The voucher can also apply where you are discussing financial matters alongside arrangements for children.

You do not need to be eligible for legal aid to receive a voucher. However, the voucher does not cover the cost of your MIAM.

I participate in the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme and can explain whether your case may qualify when we discuss the next steps.

Legal Aid for Family Mediation

Divorce Nicely does not provide legally aided family mediation.

If you think you may qualify for legal aid, you may be able to receive help with the cost of your MIAM and family mediation through a mediator who offers legally aided mediation.

If one of you qualifies for legal aid, this can also affect the funding available for the other person’s MIAM and first mediation session.

You can check whether you may qualify for legal aid and find an appropriate legal-aid mediation provider before deciding how you would like to proceed.

How Much Does Family Mediation Cost?

I believe it is important that you understand the likely costs before you decide whether family mediation is right for you.

A standard joint family mediation session lasts up to two hours and costs £250 per person. No VAT is charged.

The number of sessions you need will depend on your circumstances, the issues you want to address and the progress you make. You do not have to commit to a set number of sessions at the outset.

Additional costs may apply if you ask me to prepare mediation documents, such as an Open Financial Summary, Parenting Plan or Memorandum of Understanding. I will explain any additional costs before undertaking that work.

You may also be eligible for help with mediation costs through the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme where your case meets the scheme criteria.

For full details, including MIAM and document preparation fees, see my Family Mediation Pricing page.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you are considering family mediation for divorce or separation, the first step is usually an individual Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM).

Your MIAM gives you the opportunity to talk privately about your circumstances, understand how mediation works and consider whether it may be suitable for you.

Ready to get started? Complete the participant questionnaire and I will be in touch to arrange your MIAM.

Not sure whether mediation is the right option yet? You are welcome to contact me with your questions before deciding what to do next.

​What Happens Next?

Once we receive your completed Participant Questionnaire, we will contact you to arrange your individual mediation information and assessment meeting.