Yes. Mediators and arbitrators are trained to manage conflict. The focus is always on what works best for the children.
When parents separate, questions often arise about where children will live, how time will be shared, and what arrangements are best for their day-to-day routines and wider wellbeing.
These conversations can be emotionally charged, and when they become disputes, the strain is felt across the whole family.
Going through the Courts is not always the best answer. The process can be slow, expensive, and above all, stressful – and for children, it can add further uncertainty at an already unsettling time.
Using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) options instead allows parents to reach decisions more quickly and with less conflict.
Mediation, family arbitration, or private Financial Dispute Resolution (FDR) provide a safe and confidential space to focus on the children’s needs and agree practical, child-centred arrangements that work and are sustainable.
At Trinity ADR, our barristers and accredited family mediators regularly help parents, guardians, and extended family members find a constructive way forward. Solutions can cover everything from straightforward parenting plans to complex matters involving relocation, safeguarding, schooling, or extended family involvement. As well as being busy family law barristers, several members of our team also sit as part time judges, giving balanced, practical insight into how Courts might approach similar issues.
Some families need urgent interim arrangements to create stability straight away, in response to unforeseen emergencies or ahead of school holidays. Others prefer a more structured process to agree on longer-term arrangements such as education, healthcare, or international relocation. Whatever the situation, various types of ADR options are available suitable to the particular circumstances of the case, leading to swift, cost effective and confidential clear next steps to help families move on.
Depending on the circumstances, our team can guide you through Mediation, Arbitration, or Private FDR, and ensure that any agreement reached is properly documented.
Child Arrangements - FAQ
What if parents don’t get on - can ADR still work?
What happens if we agree on something in mediation?
The agreement can be written into a parenting plan. If you want it to be binding, it can also be turned into a court order through solicitors.
Yes. Once an arbitrator makes a decision, it is binding and can be enforced by the courts, giving parents certainty.
It is a settlement hearing led by an experienced neutral, usually a family law barrister and, in some cases, a sitting part-time judge. The process enables parents to gain an insight into how a judge might decide their case and often helps couples reach an agreement without going further.
Contact the specialist team at Trinity ADR. We’ll explain the different options and help set up the most suitable process for your situation.
Trinity ADR
Get in touch for a free, no-obligation consultation to explore your options and determine whether ADR is appropriate for resolving your dispute, with the option to meet remotely via video conference.