People don’t decide to end a long-term relationship lightly, especially when children are involved. Divorce and separation are two of the most painful life events anyone ever goes through. They can lead people to question everything they thought they knew about themselves and their lives. They are overwhelming. If this Read more…
In the middle of what may be the most difficult time in your life, it can be very difficult to know where to go for help. When you need more support than you have ever needed before, you don’t know who to ask or how you will afford to pay Read more…
The next stage involves exploring the options that are in practice open to you. These will depend very much on your personal circumstances and what is important to your family. You will probably both find it helps if you have a full and honest conversation about each option, including the Read more…
•It really helps to go to your first mediation knowing what is important to you. Try to keep an open mind about what the practical solution might look like but identify the questions that you believe need answering. These will be unique to your family, but might include, for example: Read more…
Mediation is a structured conversation in which a professional helps people discuss difficult things in a safe space. A qualified mediator will keep the discussion focused on the important issues and encourage you both to think about the future rather than the past. As a family, you have probably had Read more…
One of the most difficult things about divorce and separation is the uncertainty and confusion people feel. Mediation can help you work out what your options are. Sometimes, none of the options will be especially good from your point of view, and that can be difficult and unhappy. However, once Read more…
Different people use different strategies for managing conflicts. These strategies are learned, usually in childhood, and they seem to function automatically. Often, we are not aware of how we act in conflict situations. We just do what comes naturally. But we do have a personal conflict management style, and because Read more…
The number of couples getting divorced is at the highest it has been in 5 years. Nearly 108,000 male-female couples split in 2019 – that’s up by about a fifth from the previous year. For same-sex couples, the number of divorces has doubled at the same time. The most common Read more…
Turn2Us has improved its benefits calculator. The national charity provides help and support when times are tough. It’s faster and simpler to use Includes handy explanations to help users understand calculations It is now easier to return to previous calculation results Has an improved “in-work reckoner” for people looking to Read more…
There is now an easier way to make child maintenance payments. A new 24-hour automated telephone service has been launched. It’s a free phone number: 0800 171 2345. You can pay by debit or credit card. You will also need your 12-digit customer reference number. You can also use the Read more…