Avoid court for family’s sake
Parents living in Lincoln who have decided to separate or divorce in 2025 are being urged to find out how to avoid courtroom confrontation to settle money and arrangements for their children in Family Mediation Week, which runs until Friday, January 31.
The Government has chosen this week to announce the extension to its £500 Voucher Scheme (to March 2026), which is available to separating families to help them sort out their child arrangements.
Helen Derry, Head of Mediation at Sills & Betteridge LLP explained: "Family Mediation Week is designed to raise awareness of the benefits of family mediation, a process that can help ex-partners agree what works for them, whilst avoiding the court process with all the stress, delay and cost it can bring.
“Many parents emerge from the festive period feeling defeated by the pressures on relationships and finances that have been highlighted during the holiday period.”
Parents in this position often don’t know which way to turn. Their life-changing decision to separate brings with it so many tough questions:
- Who lives where?
- Where will the children live, and how will they make sure they each spend time with them?
- How will they sort money?
- What about debts and pensions?
- And even the family dog?
Family Mediation Week shines a helpful spotlight on these tricky issues, offering separating parents information about their options as they look to make arrangements for parenting, property and finance.
Family mediation is a process where an independent, professionally-trained mediator helps you work these things out, enabling you to avoid courtroom confrontation. Professional mediators help empower you to create long-term solutions for your particular circumstances, rather than leaving it to a court to make decisions for your family.
Anyone wanting to know more about the benefits of family mediation can visit www.sillsmediation.co.uk or call 01522 551613.
Picture shows Emma Lawler and Helen Derry of Sills and Betteridge’s Family Law Department.