LAKES

MEDIATION

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

Lakes Mediation

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

Lakes Mediation

Finances

One of the significant benefits of family mediation is that it can help resolve financial disputes.

This includes matters such as property division, child support, and spousal maintenance. With the assistance of a mediator, parties can openly communicate their concerns and needs, and work together to find a solution that is fair and equitable.

Mediation can also be cost-effective since it avoids the need for lawyers and court appearances. By choosing Lakes Mediation, parties can expect a respectful, transparent, and supportive environment to resolve their financial differences.

Find Out More About Financial Disputes

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.

Learn More About Child Access

Grandparents

Sometimes, grandparents can find themselves estranged from their grandchildren, which can cause distress and heartache for both parties.

Family mediation can provide an opportunity for grandparents to reconnect with their grandchildren and rebuild relationships. It's a place to talk openly and honestly about the underlying causes of the conflict and explore practical solutions.

With Lakes Mediation, grandparent mediation can help to create a peaceful and positive solution that restores longstanding relationships.

Explore More on Child Maintenance

Pension

One of the most significant assets that are often part of divorce negotiations is the pension.
It's a complicated asset to value and divide, and if not managed correctly, it can result in unfairness or even financial ruin. That is where a family mediator comes in.
A family mediator can discuss the details of your pension and how it is valued, as well as explore options for division.
Through mediation sessions, you and your spouse can work together to reach a mutual agreement on how the pension will be divided.

Understand More About Pension

HOME OWNERSHIP

Another common topic in family mediation is home ownership disputes. When dealing with such issues, parties have the opportunity to make agreements concerning the family home.
They can decide who lives in the property, how the costs are shared, or how and when it's sold. Additionally, couples going through a divorce may be able to reach a settlement whereby one party maintains living in the home with the children while the other party is able to obtain their share in the equity of the property.
Family mediation can also be a chance to talk through, explore and resolve feelings related to the family home, which may help both parties come to a resolution quicker than if the matter was being disputed through the court system.

See More About Home Ownership

Child Arrangements Order

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 a special time, especially for children. When parents separate, however, it can turn into a stressful and complicated time, particularly when it comes to making arrangements for the child.

A Child Arrangements Order can specify which parent the child should spend Christmas with and on what dates.

The order can also include provisions for parents to communicate with each other over the Christmas period, allowing the child to speak and spend time with both 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

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 Over Court?

Why Mediation Is Needed

Family mediation is a process of resolving disputes by facilitating communication and negotiation between two parties.

It enables both parties to find solutions and make decisions that will best serve the interests of their family.

Mediation is important because it promotes an open and honest dialogue between parties, which may not be possible in a traditional legal setting.

Additionally, mediation can be less expensive, less time-consuming, and less emotionally straining than the traditional court system. The mediation process provides a safe and neutral environment for both parties to explore creative solutions and come to agreed terms.

Is It Legally Binding?

Family mediation itself is not legally binding. It is the agreement that is reached through mediation that can be legally binding.

A mediator will encourage the parties to reach an agreement that is acceptable to all. Once an agreement has been reached, it can be written up into a formal legal agreement to be approved by a court.

If a party breaches the formal agreement, then they can be taken to court. It is crucial to note that only written agreements can be legally binding.

What Is
Mediation?

Lakes Mediation is a reputable and efficient mediation service provider. Our mediator, Rachel Lake, is a trained and experienced mediator with a background in law.

Rachel understands the importance of the family dynamics and strives to resolve issues in a timely and appropriate manner. We offer customized and confidential mediation sessions, tailored to meet the specific needs of each party.

Additionally, Lakes Mediation offers a cost-effective alternative to court litigation, and we aim to achieve excellent results for all involved parties.

Benefits of Lakes Mediation

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

When family disputes occur, communication and compromise are often difficult to achieve on one’s own. This is where family mediation comes into play. Lakes Mediation offers a resolution-focused approach to family conflicts, with the objective of reaching mutually agreed upon solutions that work for everyone. In this article, we will discuss the benefits of family mediation, as well as the importance of attending MIAMs (Mediation Information and Assessment Meetings) prior to the mediation process.

SUCCESS STORIES
From Lakes Mediation 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