A Greater Manchester charity has joined forces with NFM (National Family Mediation) – the largest provider of family mediation in England and Wales – in a move that will further enhance its service offering.
Children First Family Mediation (CFFM), based in Bury and covering all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester, is a specialist not-for-profit organisation which offers mediation services to clients across the Northwest who are going through a divorce or separation both online and face-to-face.
Helping more than 800 families per year, the charity’s experienced mediators work with them to agree arrangements for children, property, finance and other important matters following the breakdown of a relationship.
The service has a contract with the Legal Aid Agency to offer free mediation to low-income families and also has several mediators who specialise in giving children a voice in mediation.
Family mediation, which is proven to be far quicker, more cost-effective, and less stressful than going through the courts, has grown significantly in popularity in recent years.
In 2021 the government launched a mediation voucher scheme which provides couples with up to £500 towards the cost of mediation, and which has been used by around 27,000 families to date.
To help CFFM keep up with the growing demand, as part of the new partnership with NFM it will be able to access additional training and resources including CPD and CIM courses, marketing support to further its reach across the region, and Enhanced DBS checks for its child-inclusive mediators.
Commenting on the move, NFM’s CEO, Sarah Hawkins, said:
“There has been a huge increase in the number of people embracing mediation to help reach agreements that work for everyone post-separation or divorce.
“Through our partnerships with various service providers across the country, we are able to deliver a stronger support system across England and Wales, ensuring families receive the compassionate care and expert guidance they deserve to help them resolve things amicably.
“We are thrilled to now also be working with CFFM and to be extending our reach across Greater Manchester and the Northwest.”
Sheena Adam, Director of CFFM, said:
“We are delighted to link up with NFM as the lead body for family mediation and welcome its range of excellent resources for families.”
Established in 1982, National Family Mediation is the original provider of family mediation services. Its network of family mediation services, each of which is a not-for-profit provider, delivers family mediation in over 500 locations across England and Wales, delivering some 16,000 mediation sessions each year.