School holiday arrangements to sort? | Why your first step should be Family Mediation if you are a separated parent

It feels like the children have only just gone back to school after the summer holidays, but October half term is fast approaching and if you are a separated parent with plans for the next break – or even Christmas - which need agreeing with your child(ren)’s other parent, NOW is the time to sort things out.

School holiday arrangements remain one of the biggest post-separation co-parenting challenges as newly formed separate lives are created and evolve. Whether you need to agree childcare arrangements, discuss holidays abroad or visits to see grandparents, family mediation can be an extremely useful tool – and can be tailored to any unique family circumstances.

It is quicker and less stressful than going to Court – not to mention more cost effective, especially with the current £500 government contribution to child mediation (or child and finances) costs - a scheme which Sills & Betteridge Mediation team are taking part in.

How does it work and what can we help with?

Family mediators are trained to encourage calm, collaborative discussion with both parents to reach agreements which are practical and fair to everyone. We have a large team of accredited mediators across the firm who can see you often at short notice, in person at most of our offices, or remotely, via video call.

Two of the main issues which arise ahead of the school holidays and can be very effectively resolved with mediation are:

Holidays abroad – we can look at the issues around giving consent for your child to go abroad (taking into account existing Child Arrangement Orders and Parental Responsibility); whether you are happy with the nature of the holiday; paying for the holiday; who is going on the holiday – are you comfortable with a new partner and maybe their children going; does your child even want to go?

Childcare arrangements and costs – if both parents have work or other obligations during the holidays and the children need to be looked after, how will this work and who will pay for the care? If grandparents can help, how will those logistics work?

In certain situations, particularly when a child is old enough to express their feelings, they can also be seen by a specially accredited mediator who is trained in child mediation. This will only happen if both parties and the child agrees.

Whatever their age, mediation always focuses on the children's needs and wishes and seeks to find agreements which cause as little disruption and worry to them as possible. With clear communication and open minds, this can usually be achieved very effectively.

If you think Family Mediation might be right for your family, please call our team on 01522 551613 or visit our specialist mediation website www.sillsmediation.co.uk for more information.