Family Mediation Unit offers support to parents who are separating

The Family Mediation Unit, which is part of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, offers professional support to those experiencing family conflict. The completely confidential sessions help couples to start talking again and consequently to identify, for themselves, the basis for a mutually acceptable agreement. This service is free and available to separated or divorced parents, or to those who have decided to take steps in this direction. The Family Mediation Unit also works with binational or bicultural couples who are in the process of splitting up, and has expertise in international family mediation. 

Family mediation covers all aspects of conflict within a couple, including relationship and financial issues, and discussions about assets. By extension, the process may also be available to entire families (parents/grandparents, children or collateral relatives) where they are affected by a breakdown in communication resulting from a separation. 

When a break-up becomes inevitable, parents should be encouraged to seek shared solutions for the wellbeing of their children. Family mediation is an effective way of protecting children from the impact of a separation. Starting from the first session, parents are prompted to think about the needs of their child or children, and about how to establish a calm and productive means of communicating with each other. 

Focused on cooperation rather than confrontation, family mediation provides an opportunity for couples to work together to consider several options in order to agree on the terms and conditions of their separation. 

This process is led by a qualified, independent and impartial family mediator, who engages with those involved, in complete confidentiality, in order to restart a dialogue focused on the needs of each member, dialogue being the foundation of a successful separation. Individuals can seek mediation voluntarily (conventional family mediation) or may be referred by a judge (court-ordered family mediation). 

The role of a family mediator involves restoring communication between parents, healing conflict and identifying needs in order to reach an agreement which will then be confirmed by the couple’s lawyers and approved by a judge if they so wish, except in the case of a divorce, where their legal adviser will combine the agreements in the form of a joint petition to be presented to the judge during the conciliation hearing. Family mediation is based on the “premise that people have the competence and the capacity to make decisions for themselves and aims to promote accountability.” Two parents who are separating continue to share the exercise of their parental responsibilities, rights and obligations.

By pacifying the process of separation, it is possible to protect children from the harmful effects of parental conflict. There is no doubt that mediation facilitates the work of lawyers and judges. Even where the parties have not reached agreement by the end of the mediation process, a return to a more peaceful relationship can be observed during hearings, and the rulings issued by the judge are more readily accepted and better implemented.

Contact:

Family Mediation:

Le Saint-Sébastien Building, 6 Bd de Belgique

Ms Christine LORENZINI

Tel: 98.98.21.12