Including your children in mediation
Children like to be kept informed and appreciate knowing that their views matter.
We offer children and young people a chance to express their thoughts and feelings to the Mediator, while not giving them the responsibility for making family decisions. Many children have practical suggestions to make and say they are glad to have been involved.
A Mediator trained to discuss these issues with children would meet with your child for a Child Inclusive Mediation session of up to an hour. After this meeting, your Mediator holds a separate mediation session with the parents to give any feedback agreed with the child or young person.
We only include a child in mediation if both parents and the child agree. Before we speak to a child, both parents attend at least one mediation session, prepare for and agree to hearing whatever feedback may result from the child's meeting. We usually only involve a child once during the mediation process, to maintain the focus on parents making the agreements.