Constructive, child-focused mediation to help separating parents build clear, workable routines and co-parenting agreements without the conflict of family court.
Why Choose Mediation for Child Arrangements?
When parents separate, deciding where children will live and how they will spend time with each parent can feel overwhelming. Court proceedings can increase tension, take months to resolve, and remove decision-making power from the family.
Family mediation provides a calm, structured, and neutral setting where you and your co-parent remain in control of decisions affecting your children. With the guidance of an accredited FMC mediator, you can design practical, durable agreements tailored to your family's unique everyday life.
What We Help You Agree On
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Day-to-Day Living Schedules: Deciding primary residence, weekday routines, school runs, and alternating weekend arrangements.
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Holidays & Special Occasions: Fair sharing of school half-terms, summer holidays, Christmas, birthdays, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and bank holidays.
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Education & Healthcare: Selecting schools, attending parents' evenings, managing medical appointments, and supporting extracurricular activities.
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Travel & Holidays Abroad: Clear protocols for passports, travel consent, overseas trips, and emergency contact details.
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Parenting Communication & Boundaries: Establishing healthy communication methods (such as dedicated co-parenting apps or email), handovers, and agreed approaches to introducing new partners.
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Extended Family & Grandparent Contact: Ensuring children maintain positive, ongoing relationships with grandparents and wider family members.
The Outcome: Your Written Parenting Plan
At the conclusion of your mediation sessions, your mediator compiles your agreed decisions into a comprehensive Parenting Plan.
What a Parenting Plan Provides:
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Clarity & Certainty: Eliminates ambiguity about dates, times, handovers, and responsibilities.
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Conflict Prevention: Reduces future friction by providing clear guidelines on how future changes or schedule adjustments will be handled.
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Child Stability: Gives children a predictable, secure routine across both households.
While a Parenting Plan is an informal, practical agreement, parents wishing to formalise it can have a family law solicitor submit it to the family court to be turned into a legally binding Child Arrangements Consent Order.
Support for High-Conflict or Anxious Situations
If direct communication with your ex-partner is challenging or stressful:
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Shuttle Mediation: We can conduct sessions with you and your co-parent in separate virtual breakout rooms (or separate physical rooms). The mediator shuttles between you so you never have to interact directly.
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24/7 Scheduling Flexibility: Early morning, late evening, and weekend appointments ensure you can attend without taking time away from work or existing parenting duties.
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Government £500 Voucher Scheme: Eligible child arrangement disputes can receive up to £500 in non-means-tested funding from the Ministry of Justice to contribute directly towards joint mediation costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What if we cannot agree on everything?
A: Mediation is not an "all-or-nothing" process. Even if you only reach agreement on weekday schedules and holiday splits, resolving those issues significantly narrows any outstanding points, saving you substantial legal fees and stress.
Q: What happens if my co-parent refuses to participate?
A: Mediation is voluntary. If your co-parent declines or does not respond, your accredited mediator will sign and issue Page 9 of Form C100, allowing you to proceed with a formal court application.
Q: How many sessions does child arrangements mediation take?
A: Most parents reach a comprehensive Parenting Plan within 1 to 3 sessions (typically 90 minutes each).