People living in Basingstoke who have decided to separate or divorce in 2025 are being urged to find out how to avoid courtroom confrontation to settle money and parenting arrangements, with the launch of Family Mediation Week, 27 – 31 January.

January usually sees a rise in the number of parents deciding to live apart as the various pressures that go hand-in-hand with the Christmas period act as a final straw for relationships.

Elizabeth Taylor, Family Mediator at local firm, Phillips Law, says Family Mediation Week is designed to raise awareness of the benefits of family mediation, a process that can help ex-partners agree what works for them, whilst avoiding the court process with all the stress, delay and cost it can bring.

She says: “Many people emerge from the festive period feeling defeated by the pressures on relationships and finances that have been highlighted during the holiday period.”

We find many people in this position simply don’t know which way to turn. Their life-changing decision to separate brings with it so many tough questions:

• Who lives where?
• Where will the children live, and how will we make sure we each spend time with them?
• How will we sort money?
• What about debts and pensions?
• And even the family dog?

Family Mediation Week shines a helpful spotlight on these tricky issues, offering information about their options as they look to make arrangements for parenting, property and finance.

Family mediation is a process where an independent, mediator helps you work these things out, enabling you to avoid courtroom confrontation. Professional mediators help empower you to create long-term solutions for your particular circumstances, rather than leaving it to a court to make decisions for your family.

Our mediators are professionally trained and all legal experts in family law themselves. Anyone wanting to know more about family mediation can contact us about their circumstances and should visit www.phillips-law.co.uk or telephone 01256 460830.”