With the government planning to substantially reduce the types of family cases that will be eligible for funding via the Legal Services Commission in 2012, probably at aroung April time, there are likely to be a lot of changes to how many people approach issues facing themselves and their families.
Although it will be much more difficult for people to receive free legal advice from their family solicitors, there will be the opportunity for eligible people to receive free family mediation and for those people who are not eligible to seek to resolve their family disputes by paying for family mediation.
It is too early to say how many more people will end up representing themselves in the family courts, rather than paying for solicitors, although there is likely to be an increase to some extent, but this does represent an excellent opportunity for family mediators to not only fill much of the gap that is left by the reductions to legal aid but also to offer people the different approach to trying to resolve issues that mediation provides.
Many more people will hopefully be able to resolve their disputes relating to children, finances and the others aspects linked to relationship breakdown without the need for court intervention by using the mediation process instead.
Anyone who would like to learn more about family mediation or who would like to find a mediator, either to be assessed for eligibility for governmnent-funded mediation of for private mediation, should consult the Diret Gov website and the Family Mediators Association website using the following links:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Divorceseparationandrelationshipbreakdown/Endingamarriageorcivilpartnership/Planningadivorce/DG_194401
http://www.thefma.co.uk/
At the time of writing, we are still awaiting the finalised plans for exactly when the government funding for most disputes relating to family matters will come to an end, and exactly which types of cases will still be funded, but I will update this Blog once the plans are clearer.
Euan Davidson
www.godalmingfamilymediation.co.uk
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