Background: A Father Feeling Left Out

After his separation, David felt increasingly invisible in the family law process. As a father to two teenage daughters, he struggled to maintain regular contact and felt that his voice — and his relationship with his children — wasn’t being heard.

Frustrated but committed to staying involved in his daughters' lives, David turned to The Family Mediation Trust for support.

Exploring a Different Approach: Child-Inclusive Mediation

At his Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM), David was introduced to Child-Inclusive Mediation (CIM) — a specialist approach that gives children a safe and confidential space to express their views as part of the mediation process.

Both David and his ex-wife agreed this was the right approach. They wanted their daughters to feel heard, and they knew that a solution that reflected the children’s wishes would be more likely to succeed.

The Process: Hearing from the Children

A separate trained CIM mediator met individually with the couple’s daughters. In a safe, neutral conversation, the girls were given the chance to talk about what was working, what wasn’t, and what they wanted from both of their parents moving forward.

At the next joint mediation session, their voices were brought into the room — sensitively and anonymously — to inform the discussion.

The result? David and his ex-wife were able to reach a revised contact plan that:

• Increased the quality and consistency of the time David spent with his daughters

• Respected the needs, commitments, and emotional wellbeing of everyone involved

• Was built around what the children themselves had asked for

The Outcome: A Renewed Connection

For David, the process was transformative. He began to see things not just from his own point of view, but from his daughters’ perspective — which, in turn, helped rebuild trust and emotional closeness.

“CIM helped me hear what my daughters couldn’t say directly. Mediation gave us all a way forward, without blame or conflict.”

With support from the Family Mediation Trust, David found a solution that improved his relationship with his daughters — and gave the whole family a more stable, respectful future.

Why This Matters for Fathers

Many fathers feel sidelined after separation — especially when communication breaks down. This case shows how mediation can help dads stay meaningfully involved, understand their children’s real needs, and create parenting plans that truly work.

Child-Inclusive Mediation is one way to ensure that children have a voice — and that both parents can move forward with clarity and confidence.