Local Services join forces to support people going through divorce in Hemel Hempstead

January is sadly one of the peak times for family breakdown, as many couples reflect on a strained and stressful Christmas period, or those who have separated some time ago decide they want to finalise matters for a fresh start in the New Year. Family Mediation can provide a way forward during this difficult time, and this Family Mediation Week (27th January – 2nd February) two Hemel Hempstead based services are joining forces to help local people to understand their options.

Family Mediation Week is a national event that only runs once per year, where people seeking a calm way forward through relationship breakdown can access free information from experts about what to do next. Studies show that online searches for ending a marriage, civil partnership or co-habitation, peak at this time of the year, and individuals needing to divide up finances, find out where to start with child-contact arrangements and establish how to afford to re-house themselves can find themselves down a rabbit-hole of misinformation.

Green Light Mediation and Phoenix Family Solutions are two Hemel Hempstead based services working together to help inform locals about their options. With Green Light Mediation offering specialist services such as child-inclusive mediation, alongside regular mediation process and Phoenix Family Solutions covering both family mediation and a range of legal services, between them these two services can offer a properly joined up, complete solution to relationship breakdown and navigating finances, child-contact arrangements and if required, court applications.

Both Phoenix Family Solutions and Green Light Mediation are well-established services passionate about ensuring that local people know where to turn at such a challenging time, and can also signpost to other services, so your solution is holistically managed. Whether separating couples in Hemel Hempstead are looking for mediation for financial remedy, child inclusive mediation, child arrangement plans, arbitration, a solicitor, or information about court, their first stop would usually be a Mediation Initial Intake Meeting (Miam). Only mediators that are accredited with The Family Mediation Council can offer these meetings, and those registered as FMCA are listed on the government website – including Phoenix Family Solutions and Green Light Mediation.

Sarah England, FMCA Mediator and Director at Green Light Mediation, said: “In the past, the advice was ‘Get an expensive solicitor, the best you can afford” but these days the advice is very different. Research shows that families are much more likely to find a calm way forward through mediation, and you have nothing to lose by attending an initial intake meeting with an accredited mediator, which also gives you certain legal rights to make court applications if that proves to be necessary.”

Deborah Whicker, FMCA Mediator and Director at Phoenix Family Solutions, said: “The New Year is a good time to seek out a calm and fair resolution to the challenges that arise with relationship breakdown, and we are pleased that Phoenix Family Solutions will be partneringwith Green Light Mediation to help local people in Hemel Hempstead move this process along with the advice of accredited mediators and solicitors.

”This Family Mediation Week, local people in Hemel Hempstead are invited to take advantage of well-established services locally with experienced accredited mediators who can help them calmly navigate this challenging time, which can provide much better long-term outcomes for children, more amicable solutions and families keeping more of their money.

Any locals can watch free webinars/online groups to help them become more informed during Family Mediation Week. Family Mediation Week also provides free webinars for both the general public and family professionals. Please see the link below to find out more: https://www.familymediationcouncil.org.uk/family-mediation-week-2025-timetable