Family justice review

Family mediators have called for every couple in dispute over residence or contact to be compelled to go to pre-mediation assessment meetings on their financial as well as their children’s issues.

The Family Mediation Council—which is made up of Resolution, the Law Society and other legal groups which support mediation—was responding to the green paper, Support for All—the Families and Relationships Green Paper, published last week, which proposes a major review of the family justice system. The proposals include compulsory mediation assessment meetings  for parents who seek to go to court to resolve residence or contact disputes. The council wants the government to go further and include parents seeking to resolve financial issues.

Deborah Turner, convenor of the Council, says: “To make consideration of mediation compulsory with regard to residence and contact disputes only, without including finances, imposes an artificial distinction. In reality, the children’s issues and the financial issues are almost always interlinked—particularly where residence is disputed.

A Resolution spokesperson said: “While we welcome a review of family law we do not believe the review is wide ranging enough. We would like it to look at other options like collaborative law and arbitration as well as mediation, as we believe that families should have access to a wide range of options and be able to choose the best option for them.”