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Mediation Matters: An easy win for separating families and ministers

Date:14 SEP 2018
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Chief Executive, NFM

The Chief Executive of National Family Mediation returns with a regular column


It won’t be difficult for the government to achieve its aim of increasing the numbers of separating families using family mediation to settle disputes. But it hinges on ministers taking hands-on action to get family courts to more effectively use the powers they already hold.

NFM has made its submission to the government’s Post-Implementation Review of the 2014 Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO). And we believe that boosting mediation numbers would not be difficult since court powers already exist which would help meet this aim.

We know government thinking is completely dominated by Brexit. But no new legislation is needed: just the proper enforcement of existing court powers. And we know the purse-strings are tight, but this type of action would cost nothing. Stronger monitoring and a more proactive government approach to enforcement would, we believe, transform the situation and avoid the embarrassment for ministers of their current policy dying on its feet.

Read the full article here.