Mediation charity prepares for record number of enquiries as children head back to school

Charity says families in conflict is on the up due to cost-of-living crisis

Family dispute specialists who are part of the country’s largest network of family mediators say they are gearing up for a record number of enquiries in September when the children go back to school, fuelled in part by the cost-of-living crisis.

According to the charity National Family Mediation (NFM) family holidays often prove too much for strained relationships, with the six-week break putting added pressure on parents looking to juggle childcare and work.

While January is typically dubbed ‘divorce month’, NFM’s Chief Executive, Jane Robey, said this summer was also likely to have proved particularly tough for many, with the rising cost of living causing yet more conflict.

She said: “We’ve long known the post-Christmas period provokes unhappy couples to move on, but our experience of recent years backs up the idea of a post-summer surge too.

“Typically speaking, the number of enquiries we receive in the days after the holidays is considerably higher than in other months of the year – as many as 350 calls in just the first two weeks of September. This year, we are expecting that figure to be far higher still.”

Jane explains that while the holidays do provide a great opportunity to enjoy some quality family time together, it also adds a lot of pressure on parents who need to juggle childcare, try to keep the kids entertained, and find the budget for additional food, snacks and activities.

“For couples who are already experiencing relationship difficulties, it’s hardly surprising that this added pressure often proves too much, and we often see a surge in enquiries once the children go back to school in September,” Jane says.

“Throw the cost-of-living crisis into the equation also, and we are expecting this year to be busier than ever as couples who are looking to part ways try to keep both the emotional and the financial impact of a separation and divorce to a minimum.”

To help deal with the crisis, the Government recently announced that it had extended its Family Mediation Voucher Scheme which funds up to £500 worth of mediation to discuss children matters using mediation providers such as National Family Mediation (NFM).

Jane says the extension has been welcomed by dispute resolution experts, who say there is a public misconception that the number of families in crisis is actually going down due to the nationwide drop in divorces.

She added: “The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently revealed that the number of babies born to mothers outside marriage or civil partnerships overtook the number being delivered by mums in formal relationships for the first time in 2021 - 51.3 percent of the total.

“Given that so many people choose to live together and have children together without tying the knot, it would be foolish to think that the reduction in divorces is any reflection of the number of families in crisis.

“Irrespective of whether a couple are married or not when they choose to separate, it’s important that they have access to the support they need to manage things as amicably as possible. Especially where children are involved.

“Thankfully, the Government’s Mediation Voucher Scheme is available to anyone wanting to embrace mediation to discuss children matters – regardless of their relationship status – which can help save money, time, and prevent hostility which can arise through the courts.

“Given how tight money is for everyone at the moment, this is a very welcome lifeline for those in need of conflict resolution support. Furthermore, it’s not just available to the direct parents but can be utilised by grandparents and other extended family members who need advice in child-contact matters.”

NFM is a charity which helps families to sort arrangements for children, property, finance and other important matters following separation and divorce. In addition to the family mediation voucher scheme, Legal Aid also remains available for family mediation.