The Family Mediation Trust
The break-up of any relationship is painful and difficult, even more so when children are involved. The Family Mediation Trust has been supporting families with mediation, training and SPIPS for nearly 40 years.
Call today to find out how we can help
Norfolk - Cambridge - Peterborough - Suffolk - Essex
Call
01603 620588 - 01223 576308 - 01733 860376
Services
Family Mediation
Our mediators help families to resolve and prevent disputes through joint decision making, minimising the use of courts in a timely and cost effective approach.
Learn MoreSeparated Parents Information Programme
In our SPIP we help to manage conflict between separated parents for the best interests of your children.
Learn MoreInheritance Mediation
Inheritance mediation explores the options of achieving a satisfactory settlement when a loved one dies.
Learn MoreCentre for Excellence
The Centre for Excellence explore ways of maintaining excellence in mediation through training and research.
Learn MoreParental Co-Ordination
Our Parental Co-Ordination services support parents to make changes to how they co-parent and communicate, building towards a ‘co-parenting alliance’ which puts the children’s needs first.
Learn MoreHow we Can Help You
The Family Mediation Trust was formed by the merger of Norfolk Family Mediation Service and the Cambridge Family Mediation Service in 2020 and now provides mediation across the East of England. The two founding services have been delivering family mediation and other supportive programmes to families across Norfolk and Cambridgeshire for over 37 years.
The Family Mediation Trust is currently delivering its services online through Zoom, Teams and WhatsApp. When face-to-face delivery resumes, the Service will initially deliver mediation in Essex, Suffolk, Norwich, and Cambridge, with The Separated Parenting Information Programme (SPIP) continuing to run in Cambridge and Peterborough.
The service prides itself on not only having an outstanding team of accredited mediators, with a wealth of knowledge and experience, but also in providing mediation at a local level and in a way that makes it accessible to all, irrespective of location or income.
Free £500 Mediation Voucher
From the 1st April, The Family Mediation Trust will be providing clients with access to a free £500 voucher to support the cost of mediation relating to child cases.
> The vouchers can be used in conjunction with Legal Aid support. > The funding is provided by the Ministry of Justice. > The Family Mediation Trust will undertake all administration relating to the voucher, so the client does not need to worry. > The vouchers will be discussed with you at the MIAM stage. CALL TO FIND OUT MORE 01603 620588
Key Information
Key information for anyone looking to access Family Mediation
Co-parenting during Covid-19 Lock-Down
Mediator Sarina sets out how her own co-parenting approach is working.
At this time when it can be almost impossible to co-parent, Sarina sets out how she has approached the challenges of adjusting her parenting arrangements, dealing with the problems of having to isolate and of sharing of school work.
Case studies
Real life stories of Family Mediation cases - Children, moving abroad, managing pensions and mortgages, and MIAMs are all covered
Child mediation
Helping children spend time with both mum and dad: the story of Nigel, Emma and Jake
Learn MoreThe value of a MIAM
Avoid a stressful court battle while also saving money: the story of John and Zoe
Learn MoreFinancial mediation
Financial mediation in later life provides a clean break: the story of Ron and Barbara
Learn MorePost-breakup mediation
Keeping in contact when a child moves abroad: the story of Penny and her parents
Learn MoreDomestic abuse
Effective mediation in cases that include domestic abuse: the story of Jane and David
Learn More"It gave me a way forward, a chance to try and express my concerns about my children's future in a productive way rather than through email or text."
Why mediation?
Blogs
Practical guides to family mediation: key steps to mediation, what to expect from a MIAM, three types of mediation, and child-inclusive mediation
What is The Family Mediation Trust?
Now with greater expertise, recognition and accessibility, we are able to provide our best quality mediation across the East of England and uphold the mediation service as a positive process during a separation.
Stephen Burke, Chair of Norfolk Family Mediation Service, says: "The merger of Norfolk and Cambridge family mediation services will create a stronger organisation, better able to reach and serve more families going through separation. The Family Mediation Trust will become a major force working for the good of families going through difficult and stressful times. It will build on the excellent work delivered by qualified mediators over several decades. I thank everyone who has contributed to that legacy."
With the support of a friendly, professional mediator, we aim to help you agree on the things that really matter: who will pick the children up from school, who will have them in the holidays, and most importantly, how they will spend time with both parents.
Relationship breakdowns also result in the need to agree how assets, such as the family house or pensions, are divided.
We pride ourselves on providing a client-centred service. We strongly believe that mediation can help families through difficult times, helping separated couples build a new relationship based on fairness and respect, so that they can move forward and provide a stable, happy future for their children.
Whilst we are customer-focused and professional, being a charity also allows us to support the families of the East of England in additional ways. We offer a reduced-fee service for low income families who do not qualify for legal aid and we are also actively involved in a range of community projects where our mediation skills can add value - examples include housing conflicts or enabling serving prisoners to agree access agreements with their children.
"The staff Involved were knowledgeable, impartial and incredibly professional."
Meet the Team
Jane Bridge
PPC and Accredited Mediator
Delivering professional mediation to the trust for 18 years, Jane brings her vast experience of family law to conduct child inclusive mediation sessions.
Craig Brookes
PPC
Craig has committed the last decade of his professional life to family law and mediation, helping families in need through his highly acclaimed work as both a mediator and PPC.
Rebecca Sewell
Accredited Mediator
As a former primary school teacher, Rebecca will be bringing experiences from both mediation and teaching in to her work in Norwich.
Wendy Wheatley
Accredited Mediator
Wendy brings her extensive experience as a solicitor to her mediation practice where she has provided support across Cambridge for 15 years.
Jane Smith
Accredited Mediator
Jane has worked with divorcing and separating couples throughout the country on both their child arrangements and property & finance arrangements.
Ruth Collings
Accredited Mediator
With more than 12 years’ experience as an Accredited Family Mediator , Ruth is also an accredited Systematic Practitioner and presents the Separated Parents Information Programme.
Sue Fowles
Accredited Mediator
Sue brings her vast teaching background to Child Inclusive Mediation and supports people of all backgrounds through online media.
Belinda Jones
Accredited Mediator
Belinda is an accredited FMCA Mediator and one of the first UK practitioners to be trained as a parenting co-ordinator.
Helen Casey
Accredited Mediator
Specialising in family law, Helen’s vast experience as a solicitor has resulted in her providing excellent mediation across Cambridge for 25 years.
Sarina Abdul-Rani
Trained Mediator
Sarina decided to enter the field of Family Mediation to help separating couples reduce conflict as much as possible in both childcare arrangements and financial matters.
Debbie Hargreaves
Trained Mediator
Deborah is a qualified solicitor with over 25 years experience in family law. Deborah has now decided to focus solely on mediation.
Claire Molyneux
Trainee Mediator
An experienced family law solicitor by background, Claire trained as a mediator in 2019 and is now working towards accreditation.
Mike Mack
C.E.O.
Mike provides the team with the support needed to run a professional service and to support the charity objectives.
Jayne Gilman
Office manager
Jayne provides the Norfolk Family Mediation Service with office support and is the one you will speak to on the phone.
Rosemary Pittman
Enquiry Officer
Rosemary responds to your enquiries and will be the person on the other end of the phone.
Sam Barnett
Enquiry Officer
Sam works on responding to your enquiries online and over the phone.
Deborah Flatley
Enquiry Officer
Deborah works within our team of enquiry officers/administrators, responding to your enquiries.
News
Partners
Contact
- Charing Cross Centre, Norwich NR2 1DN
- The Family Mediation Trust is a registered Charity No. 1041476. Registered as a company limited by guarantee and registered in England No. 2975404 © The Family Mediation Trust 2020
- 01603 620588 - Norfolk
- 01223 576308 - Cambridge
- 01733 860376 - Peterborough
- families@thefamilymediationtrust.org
- The phone line is open between the following times: 09.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday
Referral Form
The Family Mediation Trust will deliver effective divorce negotiations for your clients. To refer a client, simply complete and return our Solicitors Referral Form.
Download: Solicitor and Organisation Referral Form
Alternatively simply complete the form below.
Returning forms to us:
By email: admin@thefamilymediationtrust.org
By post:
The Family Mediation Trust
Charing Cross Centre
17-19 St John Maddermarket
Norwich
NR2 1DN