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Contact Our Family Mediation Service: One Number, a Real Conversation
Every enquiry starts with a telephone call. Ask about the process, check whether mediation suits your situation, or simply find out where to begin.
This is the only way to reach us. Every enquiry, large or small, starts on this line.
Getting ready
Before you dial
You do not need a file of papers or a rehearsed account. Most first calls begin with a sentence or two about who is involved and what has become hard to settle, and the rest follows from there.
Some people ring the week a separation is agreed. Others call after months of tense handovers in a supermarket car park, or when a new job means the school run no longer works. There is no wrong moment to ask how mediation might fit, and no obligation to go further once you have asked.
A few things worth jotting down first
- The people involved, including any children and their ages.
- The one or two decisions that feel most pressing right now, such as where the children sleep in the holidays or what happens to the house.
- Any dates that matter: a move, a court hearing already listed, the start of a school term.
- Anything that makes you worried about being in the same room, or on the same call, as the other person.
- Your own questions, so they do not slip away once the conversation starts.
If writing a list feels like too much, skip it. You can simply say that you are not sure where to begin.
It also helps to think about where you will be when you call. A parked car, a quiet room at work or a walk round the block can all be easier than a kitchen with children listening in. If you are likely to be interrupted, say so at the start, and the conversation can be paused or picked up again another day.
Why people call
Reasons people get in touch
Calls cover a wide range of situations. These are some of the more common starting points.
Weekly and holiday time
Working out which nights a child spends where, how alternate weekends run, or how the long summer break is shared without a fresh argument every year.
Handovers and travel
Pick-up times that keep slipping, a longer drive after one parent moves, or a handover point that needs to feel calmer for everyone.
Property and money
Whether the family home is sold or kept for now, who keeps the car, and how household bills are covered during the months in between.
A child's view
How an older child or teenager can have their wishes heard without being put in the middle or asked to choose between parents.
Wider family
Grandparents hoping to keep in touch, step-family arrangements, or adult siblings trying to agree how to care for an elderly parent.
Not sure yet
Sometimes the honest answer is that things feel stuck and you want to understand the options before choosing any of them.
The conversation
What happens on the line
An enquiry call is a conversation, not an assessment you can pass or fail. It tends to follow a simple shape, though you can interrupt, ask questions or change direction at any stage.
You explain
You describe the situation in your own words, at your own pace. Short answers are fine, and you can leave out anything you would rather not share yet.
We listen and ask
We ask a few questions to understand who is involved, what needs deciding and whether there are any concerns about safety or wellbeing.
We explain how it works
We describe how mediation is usually arranged, what it can and cannot achieve, and anything to ask about, such as format or costs.
You decide
You leave the call with a clearer picture and no commitment. Any next step is agreed separately, only if and when you want it.
If something you would like to know is not covered, ask. Where we cannot answer straight away, we will say so plainly rather than guess.
People are often surprised by how practical the conversation is. Rather than going over the history of a relationship, the focus usually sits on the next few months: which days work for the school run now that shifts have changed, how a teenager who wants more say could be involved, or what a temporary arrangement for the house might look like while longer-term choices are made. It is fine to arrive upset, and fine to need a moment. Nobody expects a polished account.
Your safety
Calling privately and safely
For some people, simply making this call is a risk. If the other person checks your phone, shares a house with you or reacts badly to the idea of mediation, it is sensible to plan the call before you make it.
If you are in immediate danger, call 999. An enquiry line is not an emergency service and cannot send help.
Use a safe phone and a safe time. A phone the other person cannot access, or a time when you know you will not be overheard, can make the call easier. Clearing the call from your recent list afterwards may also help.
You can end the call at any point. If someone walks in or you feel unsafe, hang up. You do not need to explain, and you can call back whenever it suits you.
Telling us about worries early helps. Questions about safety and suitability are part of every enquiry, and the answers shape whether mediation is offered at all and, if it is, how it might be arranged. Mediation is not right for every family, and saying so is part of our job.
Where there has been abuse, coercion or fear, other routes may be safer, and we will talk that through honestly rather than steer you towards a process that could put you at risk. If mediation might still be suitable, there may be ways to adapt it, such as separate rooms or online sessions, which can be discussed on the call.
How details from your call are handled is explained in the Privacy Policy, linked at the foot of every page.
Honest limits
What we cannot do by phone
A first call is useful, but it has limits. Being clear about them now saves confusion later. A mediator stays impartial, which means not taking sides, not acting as anyone's representative and not deciding what happens. The decisions stay with the people who will live with them.
What a call can offer
- A plain explanation of how mediation works.
- Time to describe your situation without being rushed.
- Initial questions about suitability and safety.
- A sense of possible next steps, with no pressure to take any.
What a call cannot do
- Give legal advice. We encourage you to take independent advice from a solicitor if you need it.
- Make decisions on your behalf or tell you what is fair.
- Contact the other person without your agreement.
- Promise any particular result.
Questions
Common questions about calling
Do I have to give my name when I call?
You can start by asking general questions without giving your name or details. If you later decide to go ahead, some information will be needed so that arrangements can be made, and we will explain why it is needed.
Will the other person know I have called?
Not from us without your agreement. We do not contact anyone on your behalf unless you have asked us to and we have discussed how and when that would happen.
Can someone else call for me?
A friend or relative can ask general questions on your behalf. Before anything is arranged, though, we would need to speak with you directly, because mediation depends on your own choice to take part.
What if the line is busy or I cannot get through?
Please try again at another time. There is no online booking or message form, so the telephone remains the only route in.
What does mediation cost?
Costs depend on your circumstances and the kind of help involved. Ask during the call and you will be given a clear explanation before anything is agreed.
Is it worth calling if the other person is not interested?
Yes, if you would like to understand your options. Mediation is voluntary for everyone, so it cannot go ahead unless both people agree, but knowing how it works can still help you decide what to do next.
Ready when you are
One call is enough to find out whether mediation could help with the decisions in front of you. Ask your questions, take your time, and decide afterwards. If today is not the right day, you can call later, when it suits you, and nothing is lost because you waited a little longer.