Family Mediators Welcome Additional Funding for Voucher Scheme
Monday, 6 June 2022
Evans Derry Mediation Services welcomes the further £5.4m investment the government is making into the family mediation voucher scheme, to provide a brighter future for thousands of families.
The funds will allow more separated parents to benefit from up to £500 of family mediation services for child arrangements, provided by Family Mediation Council Accredited mediators.
It is far better for children and for parents to work together to try to agree the way forward following separation rather than go to court, but this can be hard for people to do without help. Family mediation provides parents a safe and supported structure to sort out the best arrangements for the children, taking into account what is going to be important for them, as they grow up. It also provides parents with the space and time they need to think about what is most important for their children, and for the whole family. Each separating family can get up to £500 of funding for family mediation where there are issues relating to children that need to be discussed.
Since April 2021 the Vouchers have supported over 8,400 families. This has had a dramatic impact on the lives of these families with the vast majority reaching whole or partial agreement and avoiding any contested family court proceedings. The increased investment in the scheme announced by the Ministry of Justice for 2022/2023 will allow around 10,200 more families to be helped to access regulated family mediation and make arrangements that work best for them.
Family Mediation Council Accredited Mediator Karen Beevers of Evans Derry Mediation based in Coleshill, Atherstone & Marston Green is signed up to offer vouchers under the scheme. She said: “As Mediators we have long seen the benefits mediation can bring to families in helping to improve communication and avoid court processes which can be detrimental to all. It is great to see it’s benefits being recognized and backed with funding to enable increased numbers of families to benefit.
For more information about anything contained in this press release or family mediation in general, please contact Karen Beevers at karenbeevers@evansderry.com