Progress through family mediation

Hi, my name is Alexis Walker and I am a family mediator.

Family Mediation regarding children

My career as a family Mediator began in 1993.  Since then, I have worked with many parents and children, helping them to arrange contact, agree on a Parenting Plan, to improve their working relationship as parents, and to move on with their lives after separation and divorce. 

Parenting Plans include:   arrangements for a routine of day to day contact with both parents;  arrangements for sharing time fairly with both parents in holidays, on birthdays and over Christmas; agreeing on the amount for child support payments; improving communication and co-parenting as the children grow up. The framework or principles for raising your children are agreed and written down in the Parenting Plan which I prepare. However, as children grow up, their needs change, or parental circumstances change, and you the parents need to be flexible and able to re-negotiate the details of arrangements which can be amended by agreement.

Child Inclusive Mediation

I am also qualified to offer Child Inclusive Mediation to children aged 10 years and older.  (This can be offered to younger children too as part of an older sibling group). This enables me to meet with children within the mediation process in their own separate meetings, but not attending their parents’ meetings.  Under the United Nations Convention on Children’s Rights, children have the right to be heard and to have a voice in making arrangements, which concern them.  With their permission, agreed information is fed back to their parents to be taken into account when making decisions about day to day contact or the Parenting Plan.

 

Family Mediation regarding finances

My mediation practice also includes working with couples who are separating or divorcing who need to reach a financial settlement.

Mediation is quicker and significantly cheaper than using a legal remedy, especially court proceedings.  It puts you in charge of decisions for the future for your family. You know how best how to share whatever you have both built up in the marriage.

I can also help couples who are not married to agree on a financial settlement.

Online mediation enables me to work with you wherever you are in the UK

Professional Practice Consultant

As an experienced Family Mediator, I also work as a Professional Practice Consultant for newly trained and experienced mediators to assist in their professional practice and skills development.

I work as an Assessor with the Family Mediation Council, assessing portfolios of trainee mediators who wish to become accredited with the Family Mediation Council.

I hold full accreditation with the Family Mediation Council (FMCA) and Senior Mediator Status with the Family Mediators Association.

I sit as a member of the Family Mediation Council Professional Standards Board.

All mediation is currently taking place using a video call, in my case either Zoom or Microsoft Teams.