About
About Mediation Guide
Key facts
- Mediation Guide is a free educational resource about family mediation in England and Wales.
- It is published by Family Legal Ltd and written by the Mediation Guide Editorial Team.
- Every guide is reviewed by Chris Yaffes, an FMC-accredited family mediator (FMC URN 0961A).
- We explain the process, the law and the costs. We do not rank, compare or recommend individual mediation providers.
- Our figures are checked against gov.uk, legislation.gov.uk and the Family Mediation Council.
Mediation Guide exists to make family mediation clear. When a relationship ends, people face a wall of unfamiliar words, forms and rules, often at one of the hardest times of their lives. This site sets out what family mediation is, how it works, what it costs and where it fits alongside the family court, in plain English.
We are a guide, not a mediation provider. Our job is to help you understand your options so you can make your own informed choices. For the full picture of the process, start with our guide to family mediation.
Who publishes Mediation Guide?
Mediation Guide is published by Family Legal Ltd, a company that operates a number of family law and mediation services in England and Wales. We believe in being open about that connection. Family Legal Ltd funds this resource, and the site is written to be genuinely useful on its own terms rather than to advertise any particular service.
To keep that promise practical, Mediation Guide does not rank mediators, does not run a provider directory, and does not compare named companies. Where we link to another organisation, it is as a citation or a source of further reading, not a recommendation. You can read the full detail in our editorial and sourcing policy.
How our content is made
Each guide is researched from primary sources, drafted by the Mediation Guide Editorial Team, and then reviewed by an FMC-accredited family mediator before it is published. We date every page, cite the official sources we relied on, and update pages when the law or the figures change.
| Principle | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Independent | We explain options without pushing a provider or a product. |
| Sourced | Every figure and legal point cites gov.uk, legislation.gov.uk or the FMC. |
| Reviewed | An FMC-accredited mediator checks each guide for accuracy. |
| Dated | Every page shows when it was last reviewed. |
| Corrected openly | We fix mistakes and note material changes. |
Important
Mediation Guide provides general information, not legal advice. It cannot replace advice about your own circumstances from a solicitor or an accredited mediator. If you are worried about your safety, call 999 in an emergency, or the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247, free and open 24 hours a day.
Who reviews our guides?
Our named reviewer is Chris Yaffes, a family mediator accredited by the Family Mediation Council (FMC URN 0961A), practising since 2013 and FMCA accredited since 2017. You can read his profile, including links to the public FMC register, on the reviewer page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mediation Guide free to use?
Yes. Every guide, tool and glossary entry on the site is free. There is no sign-up and no paywall.
Does Mediation Guide provide mediation?
No. We are an information resource. We explain how family mediation works so you can decide whether it is right for you and find an accredited mediator through the Family Mediation Council register.
Do you recommend particular mediators?
No. We deliberately do not rank or compare providers. We explain the process and how to check that any mediator is FMC-accredited.
Who funds the site?
Mediation Guide is funded and published by Family Legal Ltd. We disclose that connection openly and keep the content independent of any single service.
Mediation Guide is published by Family Legal Ltd, which also operates Mediate UK and Family Law Service. Where we link to a related service, we label that relationship on the page. Related-service links do not influence our factual conclusions or the order in which options are explained, and no page on this site is paid for or sponsored.
Sources
- Family Mediation Council, Find a local mediator, familymediationcouncil.org.uk. Accessed 9 July 2026.
- GOV.UK, Making arrangements when you separate, gov.uk. Accessed 9 July 2026.