Mediation SA

To start off book a free telephone mediation consultation so you can assess us without obligation as we discuss your situation. There is no pressure. You can book a consultation now, later or not at all, or ask your lawyer to contact us. A helpful mediator will shortly contact you to discuss your circumstances. We discuss your options and explain how we can assist you. If you choose to go ahead, your mediator will make contact with the other party and ask them if they want to participate. If they agree we will book in separate intakes for each of you.

Intakes are held by the mediator with each party separately so we can get the information we need, and understand what desired outcome each party wants. 

Mediation is a type of ADR (alternative dispute resolution or conflict resolution) where you have the chance to discuss property and children's matters in a safe, supportive and confidential environment. Since every situation is different we offer different mediation techniques for different situations. Our focus is family dispute resolution which includes divorce mediation and relationship breakdown.

The mediation process has three steps:

• An intake where mediator and client make a series of decisions about the mediation. Sometimes mediation can take place with both parties and the mediator face to face in the same room. Sometimes it is more appropriate that the parties are at different locations (shuttle mediation).  Sometimes we use child consultants to interview the children and report back to the mediator and parties (child inclusive mediation). Clients often have many questions. Two of the most common follow. Firstly, how to answer questions from their children about what is happening. Secondly, the principles of property settlement in mediation. In the intake there is a discussion of principles of property settlement and/or parenting and an exchange of information,  bearing in mind the confidentiality provisions.

 

• The mediation itself. Sometimes during mediation, the desired outcome is the same for both parties, but due to a breakdown in communication they are unaware of this until the mediation. Sometimes there are many overlaps and differences that can be addressed by a few simple compromises. Sometimes there are large differences in the desired outcome and more interventions by the mediator are needed. In any of these circumstances we facilitate communication between the parties to allow for good decision making.

 

• Written agreements are often required, where the mediator records the decisions the parties made at mediation, whether that be a settlement document for property or a parenting plan for children. Property settlement and parenting plans may also lead to consent orders explained here by the Family Court.

 
To get a sense of my passion for social justice in mediation you might care to read an excerpt from my article- Family Mediation- Second Class Compromise or First Class Alternative? Some idea of the complex undercurrents that shape Family Law can be gained from my article- Attempts by certain men's groups to reform Family Law- reform for better or worse.

Distance is no barrier

Distance is no barrier for Mediation SA because with serve the whole of Australia, including Counselling South Australia, Adelaide, Elizabeth, Gawler, Lyndoch, Tanunda, Nuriootpa and Angaston. This is because our counselling and mediation services can be conducted using any combination face to face, telephone, Skype, Facebook and Email. For face to face you can come to us or we can come to you.

Reasonable Fees

Contact

Postal address: Private Counselling and Mediation's Children's Contact Services, PO Box 263, Lyndoch, South Australia 5351

Telephone (08) 8524 4302          
 
Email: charles.tant@bigpond.com
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This ABC article sums up mediation. Private Counselling and Mediation offers shuttle and standard mediation

Mediation service that separates warring couples experiences record demand, ABC Candice Prosser
A mediation service that resolves family law disputes without going to court or requiring separated partners to see each other is experiencing record demand in South Australia.

The service includes a so-called "shuttle mediation" program, which uses a purpose-built facility in Adelaide that keeps the warring parties physically separated while their lawyers convey their concerns to an independent arbiter in a room that sits between them.
Figures in the Legal Services Commission of South Australia's annual report revealed demand for the service had increased by 22 per cent in the past year, and its success rate had climbed to 79 per cent.

Commission director Gabrielle Canny said the ability to keep the clients physically separated throughout the mediation process was a big advantage in some cases.

"We think the combination of being able to do a traditional mediation in family dispute resolution and then this shuttle mediation has led to the success rate that we're seeing," Ms Canny said.

Staying for the kids
 
For couples with children, ending an unhappy relationship is not always black and white.

"We find that the parties that have more complex issues, for example there might be a power imbalance or there might be sensitive issues, very much people who have been exposed to the trauma of family breakdown and are not coping well, they might prefer to do a mediation through ... shuttle mediation."

Ms Canny said the ability to prevent face-to-face contact between the parties helped to reduce the emotional and distressing impact of the process.

"The individuals, the mother and the father, are not having to face the other person and perhaps emotionally jeopardise the result, but they're able to have it logically put by the lawyer and the chairperson would work through to try to get the best result for the children."

Families can avoid length, costly court proceedings

She said the mediation process helped resolve legal disputes such as child custody arrangements faster than the often lengthy and emotionally taxing traditional court proceedings.

"It is really a service that should continue to grow because it helps separating parents avoid court proceedings, court proceedings and family law are expensive, lengthy and deeply distressing so it's good for families and good for our community.
"The shuttle-style approach can help many couples reach a solution relatively quickly, rather than having to wait months or years for the matter to be dealt with in court."
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Ms Canny said the service would not be suitable for everyone and each couple's circumstances were carefully assessed before any dispute resolution process would take place.
 

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