What we do
We help separating couples and families reach their own decisions about children, money and property, with a trained mediator in the room and without a contested court hearing. We work across Hastings and the surrounding area, and across our other locations in England.
Most people who contact us are at a point where talking directly has stopped working. That is not a failure on anyone's part, and it is the ordinary situation mediation was designed.
How we work
We tell you when mediation is not right for you
Where there has been domestic abuse, where one party will not disclose their finances honestly, or where what you need is enforcement of an existing order, mediation is the wrong tool. We say so at the assessment rather than taking a fee for a process that was never going to work. It costs us the booking and it is the only defensible way to run this.
We do not advise either of you
A mediator is impartial and cannot give legal advice to either party. That is a professional requirement rather than a limitation we have chosen. We will explain how the law generally approaches a question, we will tell you when a decision has a consequence you should take advice on, and we will encourage both of you to have a solicitor look at any agreement before it is made binding.
We work at your pace, and you can stop
Mediation is voluntary. Either of you can end it at any point, nothing is signed on the day, and taking a proposal away to think about or to show a solicitor is normal. Stopping is not held against you if you later go to court.
We check what help you are entitled to first
Before taking any fee we check whether either of you qualifies for legal aid, and whether the Ministry of Justice voucher scheme applies to your case. Both are checked at the enquiry, not after.
Confidentiality, and where it ends
What is said in mediation is confidential and legally privileged. It cannot be repeated in court and neither of you can quote the other's proposals against them later. That protection is what makes it possible to explore an option without committing to it.
Two limits, and we explain both before you start. Financial disclosure is open rather than privileged, because a settlement built on figures that could later be denied is worthless. And where we become aware of a risk of serious harm to a child or an adult, confidentiality does not hold.
Where we work
We hold sessions in Hastings and at our other locations, and we work online. Video sessions are now the choice most families make: they remove the travel, the shared waiting room and the car park, and they make it easier to fit sessions around work and childcare.
What this costs
Sessions are charged per person, so a couple splitting the cost pays half each. The assessment meeting is charged separately as the single meeting it is. Where the voucher scheme or legal aid applies, that reduces or removes the cost, and we tell you which applies before you book.
We publish what we charge rather than quoting on enquiry, because a service that will not tell you its price before you call is asking you to commit before you can compare.
Getting in touch
Call 03300 100 175, or send an enquiry and we will come back to you. You do not need documents and you do not need to have decided anything. If it turns out that mediation is not the right route for your situation, we will tell you that on the call.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Services in Hastings
Are your mediators accredited?
Every mediator working with us holds accreditation with the Family Mediation Council and works to the Family Mediation Council Code of Practice. Ask us and we will tell you which accreditation your mediator holds.
Do you take sides?
No. Impartiality is a professional requirement. A mediator who advised either party on what to accept would not be doing the job, and you should be wary of one who does.
Can you give us legal advice?
No. We explain how the law generally approaches a question and tell you where you should take advice. Both of you are encouraged to have a solicitor review any agreement before it is made binding.
Do we have to be in the same room?
No. Shuttle mediation keeps you in separate rooms with the mediator moving between you, and it is used routinely rather than as a special arrangement.
What if we cannot agree on everything?
Partial agreement is a good outcome and it is common. Settling the children and leaving the finances to a hearing removes the most difficult part from the court process and shortens what remains.
How quickly can we start?
An assessment meeting can usually be arranged within one to two weeks. Joint sessions depend on both parties' availability, which is more often the constraint than ours.
