LAKES

MEDIATION Array

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

Lakes Mediation Widnes

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

Lakes Mediation Widnes

Finances

When it comes to family disputes, money is often at the forefront of people's minds. Financial mediation is a process that helps family members resolve financial matters such as property issues, child support, maintenance and other matters. It can be particularly beneficial for family members who want to avoid costly and time-consuming court proceedings and want to resolve their financial issues in a non-confrontational setting.

One of the key advantages of financial mediation is that it is confidential. This means that all parties involved in the process have the freedom to speak openly and honestly, without their statements being used in a court of law. Additionally, mediation can provide a more child-focused approach to resolving disputes, which can be important in cases where children are involved.

Children

Another benefit of family mediation is its focus on children's needs and interests.

Children often become the innocent victims of family disputes, which can lead to long-term emotional damage. Mediation provides an opportunity for parents to discuss their children's welfare, education, visitation schedules, and other essential matters.

The mediator acts as a neutral third-party who can help facilitate a mutually acceptable arrangement for the children's well-being. Lakes Mediation places a high emphasis on child-centered mediation to ensure that the children's voices are heard and their rights are protected.

Grandparents

Grandparents often have a special relationship with their grandchildren and can become affected when they’re not able to see them.

Through grandparent mediation, grandparents can express their concerns and, in many cases, come to agreements on visitation and communication with their grandchildren.

Grandparent mediation gives grandparents a voice in court and helps to foster a healthy relationship with their grandchildren.

Pension

Family disputes can be emotionally draining, financially devastating and potentially destroy relationships forever.
Whether it's a divorce, child custody, or inheritance, the need for resolution in a fair and amicable way is paramount.
Fortunately, family mediation provides an opportunity to resolve conflicts without going to court or hiring lawyers.
In this article, we will discuss the benefits of family mediation, how it works, and why we firmly believe that Lakes Mediation offers the best mediation services.

HOME OWNERSHIP

When it comes to homeownership, family mediation can help parties to explore the different options for dividing a property.
For example, one party can keep the property and, in return, pay out the other party's share in cash or by offsetting the assets.
Family mediation can be beneficial in addressing potential issues, which otherwise can lead to further complications in court proceedings if not resolved timely.

Child Arrangements Order Widnes

Arrangements for School Holidays

One of the most significant benefits of a Child Arrangements Order is that it can help parents plan for the children’s school holidays.

The order typically outlines where the child should spend specific holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and summer vacations.

This helps to avoid confusion as both parents will know exactly where the children will be during the holidays.

It also helps children adjust to the separation situation as they can have the assurance of spending significant dates with both parents.

Arrangements for Christmas

Christmas is an essential time of year, which means it could become a source of conflict between parents.

However, with a Child Arrangements Order, specific arrangements are made in advance, ensuring that the children have quality time with both parents, without any arguments.

For instance, the order might specify the parent who will have access to the child on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. This will contribute significantly to the children’s happiness, as they will not feel forced to choose between their parents.

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 Widnes

Spousal maintenance or alimony is another area where mediation can be helpful. Mediation allows both parties to work out an agreement that considers the needs of both. For instance, if one spouse has been a stay-at-home parent, they may need financial support during and after the divorce. Here are some of the benefits of spousal maintenance mediation.

Confidentiality: Mediation allows parties to have a more intimate discussion about spousal maintenance in private.
Control: Both parties have the opportunity to negotiate what they feel is a fair spousal maintenance agreement.
Better outcomes: Both parties are happier with the outcome of mediation since they had a say in the negotiating process.

Why Choose lakes Mediation Widnes Over Court?

Why Mediation Is Needed

When disagreements arise within families, it’s not uncommon for people to resort to legal action. However, this approach often leads to hostility and can communicate a lack of willingness to listen or understand, which is not ideal for ongoing co-parenting arrangements or reconciliations.

Family mediation, on the other hand, provides a forum for the parties to communicate and discuss their issues openly and neutrally. A mediator is trained to facilitate communication and ensure a safe space where all parties can speak without fear of escalation.

This helps to ensure that all parties are heard, and all concerns are addressed, which can result in an amicable resolution to the conflict.

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 professional family mediation service provider that aims to help families through difficult times.

The team of experienced mediators at Lakes Mediation is skilled in managing family disputes and committed to helping families reach mutually acceptable solutions. The company offers various types of mediation, including child custody and access mediation, divorce mediation, and family business mediation.

Lakes Mediation also provides online mediation services to clients who cannot attend in-person sessions.

Benefits of Lakes Mediation Widnes

Family disputes can be overwhelming, emotionally draining and costly if not handled well. It’s essential to find a peaceful and satisfactory solution for everyone involved to move forward, and that’s where family mediation comes to play. At Lakes Mediation, we understand family conflicts can arise for various reasons, such as divorce, separation, or inheritance issues. In this blog post, we’ll explore the benefits of family mediation and how it can help resolve disputes in a collaborative and respectful way.

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

Often, before beginning a mediation process, all parties must attend a MIAM. A MIAM is an initial meeting where the mediator assesses whether mediation is appropriate for the conflict at hand. This assessment includes whether the parties are prepared for mediation, whether any safety procedures need to be followed, and any other necessary factors.

SUCCESS STORIES
From Lakes Mediation Widnes 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