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Family Mediation Lothian’s aim is to help families who are experiencing family break up to successfully mediate and sustain arrangements designed to promote the well being and health of their children and young people through the maintenance of contact, where appropriate, with both parents and their extended family.
We deliver our services in Edinburgh and throughout East, West and Mid Lothian where the impact of poverty, health inequalities, poor housing and transport can exacerbate issues arising for families in transition.
We have a range of services including information, advice and signposting services on all issues connected with separation and divorce; intake interviews, various types of mediation work, operation of supported child contact centres, supervised child contact, children’s groups etc. We offer services to Children and Young People, Parents, Step Parents, Grandparents and the extended family circle.
Services
Family Mediation Lothian provides the following services:-
• A telephone based information, advice and signposting service to parents and the wider community of Edinburgh residents on all issues relating to separation/divorce
• An intake service designed to enable separating/divorced parents to make an informed choice as to whether to use our services and/or those provided by others.
• Child focussed mediation services designed to allow parents to come together, reduce conflict, resolve difficulties and negotiate on issues connected with the physical and emotional health and well being of their children.
• A Young Peoples Service: ‘ME2’. This Lottery funded service offers young people who are experience family break up the opportunity to attend mediation, young peoples groups and initial intake appointments.
• Contact Centre services which offer supported contact in a neutral and welcoming venue where children can meet and spend time with their non resident parent and/or extended family members. These centres can also be used as a safe, neutral pick up drop off point for children and their parents. Contact Centres are seen as a relatively short term solution, the aim being to work towards families making their own contact arrangements when safe to do so. The Contact Centres run in Dr Bells, Leith, Granton, Viewforth, Musselburgh, Whitburn and Eliburn.
• Supervised Contact Services designed to facilitate contact between children and their non resident parent but which for child protection and/or other reasons needs to take place in the presence of a supervisor with responsibility for ensuring the safety of the child
• Children’s Groups which offer children from separating/divorced families an opportunity to share their experiences, learn from each other about managing difficult situations and to discuss any worries or concerns they may have about their natural/step parents
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