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 St Helens

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

Lakes Mediation St Helens

Finances

One of the most common reasons for family disputes is money. Financial disagreements between family members can often be complicated and emotional, leading to tension and hostility.

Finances can be a source of major stress especially when there are disagreements about who should be responsible for which expenses, or the distribution of assets. Finance mediation can help individuals in a family situation come to an agreement on how to divide assets and handle finances in the future.

A mediator can assist in the negotiation of a settlement agreement that is reasonable and fair to all parties.

Children

When parents decide to separate, the most challenging aspect can be deciding what's best for the children.

Children mediation can provide a safe space to explore the best possible outcome for everyone involved. With the help of a trained mediator, parents can work together to create a co-parenting plan that meets the needs of the children.

The mediator can offer guidance on how to communicate effectively and avoid placing the children in the middle of the conflict.

At Lakes Mediation, their mediators are experts at helping parents focus on the priorities, especially regarding the children, and come to mutual agreements that will benefit all family members.

Grandparents

Sometimes, disputes arise between grandparents and their adult children, especially when it comes to access to grandchildren.

This can be a distressing situation for all parties involved. In such cases, mediation can be an effective way to build bridges and improve relationships. Mediators can help grandparents and their children communicate effectively and understand each other's perspectives.

They can also assist in establishing boundaries, expectations, and agreements that work for everyone. Lakes Mediation recognizes the importance of extended family relationships and can provide a respectful and empathetic space for grandparent mediation.

Pension

Pensions are often one of the most valuable assets a couple owns, and often they are shared between the spouses.
Dividing a pension can be a complicated process, but with mediation, everything becomes more transparent.
Mediation can provide the couple with many options, such as offsetting or outright sharing the pension.

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 St Helens

Arrangements for School Holidays

It is essential to consider school holidays when discussing the Child Arrangements Order.

During school breaks, many parents like to take their children on vacation or spend more time with them. The arrangement for the child’s school holidays should be included in the CAO document to avoid any misunderstandings.

An effective way to allocate school holidays can be alternating the years or dividing them equally.

Arrangements for Christmas

Christmas can be an especially difficult time for separated families, as it is a time that is often associated with traditions and spending time together as a family.

It is important to approach the arrangements with a child-focused approach, keeping in mind the importance of spending time with both parents.

When making a decision about Christmas arrangements, the court will consider the wishes and feelings of the child, as well as the practicalities of the situation. &

It is generally recommended that the arrangements provide for a balance of time spent with each parent, as well as taking into account family traditions and the child’s best interests.

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 St Helens

Spousal maintenance, also known as alimony or spousal support, is another issue that comes up in divorce or separation. It involves one spouse paying the other a certain amount of money on a regular basis to help support them financially. Determining spousal maintenance can be a contentious issue, but with family mediation, a mediator can help both parties find a solution that works for everyone. Here are some benefits of spousal maintenance mediation:

Saves money: Like finance mediation, spousal maintenance mediation can help reduce expenses by avoiding the need for lawyers and going to court.
Promotes fairness: The mediator can help determine a fair amount of spousal maintenance based on relevant factors such as income, living expenses, and other financial obligations.
Maintains privacy: Mediation is a confidential process, which can protect both parties’ privacy compared to going to court.
Improves communication: Mediation can help uncover underlying issues and misunderstandings between both parties, which can help improve communication and resolve conflicts more effectively.
Increases cooperation: Mediation encourages both parties to work together to find a solution that meets their needs and interests, rather than working against each other in court.

Why Choose lakes Mediation St Helens 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?

One common question about family mediation is whether the agreement that is reached is legally binding.

In most cases, the answer is yes. Once an agreement has been reached, it can be made into a legally binding agreement by having it approved by a court.

This will make the agreement enforceable, which means that if one party does not follow through on their side of the agreement, legal action can be taken.

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 St Helens

Family conflicts can be difficult to navigate, especially when emotions run high and communication breaks down. When disputes escalate, legal battles often follow. However, there is another way to resolve family conflicts that is much less stressful and costly. Family mediation is a process where a third-party mediator helps two or more parties negotiate and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of family mediation and why you should consider it as an alternative to litigation.

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

Family disputes can be emotionally draining, time-consuming and expensive. It can also take an emotional toll on all parties involved. In many situations, litigation is not the best approach. This is where family mediation comes in. Mediation is a process that enables parties to resolve disputes in a confidential and informal setting. It provides a more amicable way to resolve disputes, fostering communication and compromises to find mutually acceptable solutions. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of mediation and MIAMs and how Lakes Mediation can help to reduce the cost, time, and stress of family disputes.

SUCCESS STORIES
From Lakes Mediation St Helens 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