Grandparents Mediation
Have you been stopped access or having contact with your Grandchildren and need help?
Have you been stopped access or having contact with your Grandchildren and need help?
Grandparents play a great role in the quality of life that the grandchildren live. It is good that they remain in contact with the children in case there is a divorce or separation.
During such times, children require to be given a lot of reassurance because of the great changes that occur in their lives.
Perhaps you have been your the main childcare and now this has stopped! Are you concerned for your grandchild’s welfare?
It is good to note that during this moment, children may experience conflicting loyalties. As a grandparent, it is good to listen to them without criticizing either parent. This will help them continue talking about their feelings.
It is normal for children to feel they are the one to blame for the disagreements that may have occurred between the parents.
It is crucial to ensure that children are updated at every stage of the separation process. Grandparents should encourage their children to tell the grandparents what is happening in the family.
They may not need to know all that is happening and may not like to be engaged in a decision-making process. However, they should feel that they are being given an ear.
Motivate them to ask questions and ensure they are given most reassuring and honest answers. In case there is something that is not yet decided, assure them that their parents will give the answers as soon as possible.
Your capacity to communicate in an effective way to your children and grandchildren during this challenging and tricky moment is key.
Ensure that your children meet all the needs, offer security, love and give the right support to their children too during this moment. This will ensure children have a positive mind all along.
When parents separate, they have to provide financial support and care to their children. Grandparents must have a hand in offering this support. Perhaps one parent is now no longer allowing you access or you feel they are alienating you from your grand children?
The life of the kids should only be affected as little as possible by their parent separation. This will ensure they continue living normally when they spend time with each parent.
As a grandparent, you are also affected by this situation either individually or in your family. Thus, you are likely to go through the loss cycle.
It is hard to tell what you feel at this moment, but you need to care about yourself. You need to be cautious about your well being during this moment to prevent more problems from arising.
The most important thing is to ensure that you are as supportive as you can and offer assistance to your children and the grandchildren who may be very confused during this moment.
If you like more information or advice on how to support your grandchildren during this moment, you can contact MIAMS FAMILY MEDIATION SERVICE.
If you have restricted or no access to your grandchildren call us today –
Contact us for Family Mediation – 03300 101 354
General information about Mediation, Please click the links below to find out more info:
Family’s are deeply affected by divorce or separation, especially when there are children in the family. Often these painful situations can be helped with the aid of a mediator who will hold a Mediation Intake Assessment Meeting or MIAM. MIAMs can soothe ruffled feelings and ensure that communal assets are divided equally, make sure that financial obligations of both parents are laid out and help to make the break as easy as possible for all the members of the family.
When attending a court proceeding on the matter, the family will need to present an FM1 (Family Mediation 1 form) which confirms that a MIAM has been held.
As of April 2014, significant changes were made to the judicial system regarding separation and divorces, particularly where children were involved. These changes ensure that the welfare of the children is paramount, with minimal impact on the children and as little negativity as possible. One of the major changes was a requirement for a mediation session or MIAM to be attended before any court proceedings to do with financial or custody matters (hence the need for a FM1 to be produced).
If the split is acrimonious and both parties find it difficult to be in the same room, as would happen with face to face mediation, it is possible to ask for shuttle mediation.
Shuttle sessions happen when the two parties are seated in separate rooms and the mediator shuttles between the two, discussing issues and offering solutions.
Shuttle mediation is often a good solution with distance between the parties allowing for rational and reasoned thinking.
Mediation sessions are now a legal requirement, and your ex’s lawyer will make this clear to him or her.
Offering shuttle mediation, in which they will not have to share a room while coming to an agreement, is sometimes a way to make the thought of mediation more palatable.
Mediators can also help with will disputes: resolving issues between heirs and coming to an acceptable compromise in the event that the will is ambiguous or unclearly worded.