Do we have to be divorced before we come to mediation?

To begin with, in Australia, about half of new parents are not married, and so there is no stipulation that you have to be divorced to try mediation. Just as families come in all shapes and sizes, so do their conflicts. Separations are complicated, and sometimes parents have never had an ongoing relationship together. We are here to take the situation as it is and to make the best of it, rather than to judge.

Divorce usually takes a year or more after separation, so arrangements will need to be made for the interim. Sometimes parents come to mediation very soon, or even immediately following their separation. Sometimes parents are still living in the same house when they attend mediation. Sometimes parents have made their own arrangements for years before coming to mediation. It is all okay. The purpose of mediation is not to shame anyone. If your relationship with your former partner is something that you don’t want to talk about, you won’t be obliged to talk about it. The focus is on making arrangements for the children to give them the stability they need to develop.

So can you come to mediation before you divorce? Absolutely. There is no need to wait if you need to make arrangements for your children now.

If you would like any further details on how mediation can work in your situation, please contact our office for a free fifteen minute consultation.