Can I contact you by email instead?
No email address is published. Please telephone 0330 010 0028.
One Number for Every Enquiry
Family Mediator deals with enquiries by telephone, on 0330 010 0028. We do not publish an email address, a postal address, a contact form or social media accounts.
Family Mediator by telephone
0330 010 0028Use this number for a first question, an existing appointment or a concern about the service.
A single number keeps things simple, and a conversation suits this work. You can ask what you need to, clarify what you hear and stop when you have what you came for. You do not have to write anything out in advance or work out which department you need.
Call charges depend on your own telephone provider, so please check with them if you are unsure what you will pay. Clicking the number on this page starts a call on a device that can make one.
If You Do Not Know How to Begin
The hardest part of most calls is the first sentence. There is no right way to begin. Any of these will do, and you are welcome to borrow them word for word.
“We have split up and we keep disagreeing over the children. I would like to know how mediation works.”
“I have been told I need to go to a MIAM. Could you explain what that is?”
“We need to sort out the house and the money, and we keep going round in circles.”
“I am not sure this is right for us. Can I just ask some questions?”
“I already have an appointment and I need to ask something about it.”
“I am calling for my daughter, who is finding this difficult. What can you tell me?”
What Different Callers Usually Need
People ring for many reasons, and the conversation changes accordingly. Find the description closest to your own situation.
- If you are new to mediation
- Expect to be asked, briefly, who is involved and what needs deciding. You can ask how the process works, what it costs and what would come next. If you would rather listen first, say so.
- If you are already in touch with us
- Have to hand whatever details you were given, along with the date of any appointment. Say straight away that you are already in touch, so that the conversation starts in the right place.
- If someone else has suggested mediation to you
- You are entitled to your own conversation and your own questions. What the other person has told you does not decide what happens. You can ask what mediation would involve for you before you respond, and you can say no.
- If you are calling on behalf of someone else
- General questions about the service are fine. Because mediation depends on a person’s own choices, the person concerned will need to speak for themselves before anything is arranged. Try not to share their private details more than you need to.
- If you are a solicitor or other adviser
- You are welcome to ask how the service works on behalf of a client. Please make sure you have your client’s agreement before sharing information about them.
- If you have an access or communication need
- Tell us what would help, for example a quieter time to talk, someone to support you or information given more slowly. We would rather discuss this at the outset than find out at an appointment that something does not work for you. If you cannot use the telephone yourself, or English is not your first language and you would like help on the call, someone you trust can make contact for you or join you. If an interpreter might be needed for a meeting, please mention it early.
- If you have a concern about our service or your information
- Say at the start of the call that you want to raise a concern, and explain what happened and when. If it relates to personal information, the Privacy Policy explains your rights. Telling us leaves your other rights intact.
Small Things That Make the Call Easier
Find a private place
If possible, call from somewhere you cannot be overheard, especially if the other person lives with you.
Keep your notes close
A few words on paper help when nerves take over. Include the ages of any children and any dates that matter.
Ask for repeats
If something does not make sense, ask for it to be explained differently. Nobody takes in everything first time.
Note the next step
Before you hang up, check what should happen next, who will do it and whether you need to do anything.
If You Are Worried About Being Overheard
Some people have good reason to be careful about when and where they call. If you share a telephone, a bill or an account with the other person, consider using a different telephone, or calling from the home of someone you trust. Check whether your device keeps a call log that others can see.
If you need to end a call suddenly, you can simply hang up. If the conversation has to stop, ring back at a better moment. You do not need to explain.
Where a Telephone Call Has Limits
It helps to be clear about the limits of a telephone conversation. A call cannot give you legal, financial or therapeutic advice. General information about mediation is one thing. Advice on what you should do in your own circumstances is another, and that needs a suitably qualified adviser.
A call does not by itself book an appointment or commit you to anything. It cannot guarantee that mediation will be suitable or that the other person will agree to take part, and nobody can promise you a particular outcome. What you hear on a first call will be general, because no one can properly assess a family’s situation in a few minutes.
Please do not treat this number as an emergency line. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.
After You Have Called
It is worth making a note of what was said straight away, including any next steps and anything you agreed to do. If you realise later that you forgot to ask something, or that you gave the wrong date, call again. Nobody will mind.
You are not obliged to take things further because you have rung once, and you are free to take time to talk things over with someone you trust, including a solicitor. If your situation changes, for instance because a deadline has come up or a safety concern has arisen, please tell us as soon as you can, because it may affect what should happen next.
If You Would Rather Read First
You do not have to read anything before you call, but some people find it steadying. The Services page describes what mediation can cover. The About page explains how we work and where our role stops. The Book Consultation page sets out in detail what a first conversation involves, how to prepare and which questions to ask.
Contact Questions, Answered
Can I visit an office?
This website does not list a public office address. Ask on the call how and where meetings can take place, including the option of meeting online.
What are your opening hours?
Opening hours are not published on this website. If nobody answers, please ring again later.
Can I send you documents?
Please do not send anything until you have been told what is needed and how to provide it securely.
Will my call be mentioned to the other person?
The first conversation is about you and your questions. If you decide to go ahead, how the other person might be invited can be discussed with you first. If this worries you, say so straight away.
Can I ask a question without giving my name?
Yes. You are welcome to ask general questions first. If you later decide to go ahead, we will need your details in order to arrange anything.
Can I call if our problem is not about separation?
Yes. Disagreements within families take many forms. Describe what is going on, and we will tell you whether mediation might help.
Do I need to have decided anything first?
No. Many people call because they have not decided. Finding out how mediation works does not commit you to it.
Whenever you are ready
Bring the question that is on your mind. If it turns out to be one for somebody else, we will say so.
0330 010 0028