Single parents who are attempting to manage a separation are best served when they participate with mediation services.
These initiatives are overseen by an independent third party, allowing all sides to reach an agreement that is not hamstrung by technicalities within the justice system.
This offers an appealing proposition for individuals who are trying to make the best of a bad situation, particularly when it comes to the wellbeing of their child or children.
Here we will outline why these services are beneficial for men and women who want to reach a satisfactory outcome.
Brings All Parties To The Table
The very purpose of mediation services is to bring single parents to the table to work out their differences and establish a workable agreement that all sides are happy to co-sign. When litigation is filed and hearings take place inside a courtroom, either side is placed in an adversarial position where direct dialogue is not possible. The back and forth between lawyers and arguing a case through a judge is the very opposite of this environment.
Reduces Costs
Opting for litigation could provide significant dividends for a spouse, but the costs involved within that process and the potential payments on the backend could be significant. It is a strategy that rarely pays off in a financial sense. By utilising mediation services, individuals have the chance to reduce their overheads and avoid all of the surcharges that are brought about by using the court system.
Lowers Legal Risk
When single parents decide that litigation is the best step for them, their position will be placed under the spotlight. Issues regarding neglect and mismanagement can carry major penalties, seeing individuals lose child custody rights or being forced to hand over significant assets of financial or sentimental value. This is why mediation services are ideal for participants, giving them the opportunity to lower their legal risk and reach a suitable solution.
Lowering Stress & Animosity
Mediation works for single parents when they consider the health and wellbeing of their child as well as themselves. Courtroom environments only add to the stress that individuals feel and the animosity can linger for a lifetime, directly impacting on the psyche of sons and daughters who carry that emotional baggage with them. This process offers a means for former couples to find a more amicable solution.
Fast Tracking or Slowing The Legal Process
The time management factor with mediation services is worth considering for single parents. Especially as they have to balance their own work commitments with sending their child to school and focusing on their education, sorting a separation agreement could fall behind on the priority list. The same can be said for men and women who want to expedite the matter and reach an outcome as soon as humanly possible. This is a space where they can set their own timetable.
Ownership & Control
Taking ownership of the process and enjoying a strong level of control is where parents really find mediation services valuable to engage. There is far less interference from the outside and less pressure to adhere to stipulations that are imposed on couples of people. If they are both satisfied with the agreement then they can be as creative as they want to be. That is why mediation services are the option of choice for adults in this setting.
A Voluntary Process
The final selling point for single parents who are considering this pathway is that the environment is voluntary. If a mother or father wishes to walk away and file for litigation, they will obtain that right. Until a legal document is signed and the terms have been certified, men and women are empowered to go a different direction as they see fit.