The Ministry of Justice is running a scheme whereby a contribution of up to £500 can be made per case/family towards mediation costs. The mediation must relate to arrangements for the children. The purpose of the scheme is to try to divert cases away from the family court and into a more appropriate process.
Legal Aid is still available for mediation cases and if you are financially eligible for legal aid then you should contact a mediation company who offers legal aid to meet the cost of mediation rather than use the voucher scheme. However, there are many who struggle with the cost of mediation but are not eligible for legal aid and so this scheme has been welcomed. It is simple and straightforward process to use. I, as your mediator, would make an application to the Family Mediation Council for vouchers to be allocated towards your matter.
The vouchers cannot meet the cost of having an individual meeting/Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (Miam). This is a cost you have to meet. However, once you have paid for your individual meetings, before you proceed to a joint meeting we can apply for a voucher to help contribute towards your costs. The voucher can be used for a Child Inclusive Mediation Meeting as well as joint meetings with your ex partner.
There is a limit to the number of vouchers available. It is currently predicted that the vouchers will be available until about March 2022 at the rate they are being applied for.
More details about the scheme are available here : https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/mediation-voucher-scheme/ Alternatively, feel free to contact me to find out more.
