What is Mediation?

Mediation is a voluntary process whereby two or more parties who are in dispute meet together in the presence of an independent third party (the Mediator). The Mediator facilitates discussion between the parties and may use specific techniques to help them reach creative solutions to the issues in question. The aim of mediation is to reach an agreement that is acceptable to all the parties.

The Mediator has no decision making powers and the outcome is within the control of the parties involved at all times.

The process is entirely confidential, which means that nothing said during a mediation can be used by any of the parties outside the mediation.

Any agreement reached during a mediation is non binding. Some agreements may however, if appropriate, be put in the form of a court order which will bind the parties once sealed by the court.