Hamers welcomes additional £5.4m government funding for family mediation voucher scheme

Hamers welcomes the further £5.4m investment the government is making into the family mediation voucher scheme, helping thousands of families avoid the distress of taking their separation to court.

The funds will allow more separated parents to benefit from up to £500 of family mediation services, provided by Family Mediation Council Accredited mediators.

It is far better for children and for parents to work together to try to agree the way forward following separation rather than go to court.

However, this can be hard for people to do without help and support.

Family mediation provides parents a safe and supported structure to sort out the best arrangements for the children, taking into account what is going to be important for them, as they grow up.

It also provides parents with the space and time they need to think about what is most important for their children, and for the whole family. Each separating family can get up to £500 of funding for family mediation where there are issues relating to children that need to be discussed.

Since April 2021 the vouchers have supported over 8,400 families. This has had a dramatic impact on the lives of these families with the vast majority reaching whole or partial agreement and avoiding any contested family court proceedings.

The increased investment in the scheme announced by the Ministry of Justice for 2022/2023 will allow around 10,200 more families to be helped to access regulated family mediation and make arrangements that work best for them.

Elizabeth Morris, an accredited Family Mediator at Hamers, said: “We welcome the announcement from government that additional funding has been made available to help families going through the difficult process of a separation.

“In so many cases, it is the children involved who are among the most affected. This funding will prevent families from going through the emotional stress of a court hearing, and the impact that in turn has on children and loved ones.”

More details about the family mediation voucher scheme are available here: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/mediation-vouchers/.

For more information, please contact us at enquiries@hamers.com or call us on 01482 326666.