The Government has announced plans to require all divorcing parents to undertake a mediation process. Measures included in the Children and Adoption Act are intended to ensure that all applicants to the family court have considered mediation. They give the court authority to order a couple to attend a meeting about mediation before the proceedings reach court. The main aim is to attempt to achieve an amicable solution to the problems of access to children and to sort out as far as possible the financial arrangements on family break-up.
The Legal Aid system already requires that any applicant for legal aid considers mediation before funds are granted.
