Who we are
We are accredited mediators from the legal, health care and business professions. We provide free mediation to court referred family disputes and paid for mediation services to private clients. Mediation is the process whereby the participants, together with the assistance of a neutral party, reach a consensual settlement that will accommodate the child’s needs and the parents’ rights and responsibilities.
Why do we do what we do?
We chose the name “For the children’s sake” (ftcs) because we are acutely aware of the trauma experienced by children caught up in family conflict. Research has shown that children caught up in family conflict suffer harm to their health and academic progress as well as social and emotional damage*(provide further reading with a link here)
How are we unique?
Our court referred services are provided free of charge. Over 80% of these cases are successfully resolved. It is difficult to measure the huge saving of time, financial costs and emotional damage when avoiding a trial.
How does it work?
The Children’s Act requires separating parents in dispute to enter into a parenting plan (pp) drafted after mediation by a social worker, Family Advocate or a suitably qualified person. These services are overwhelmed by caseloads and waiting times are very long. By providing free mediation to Family Court magistrates we solve this problem. Paid for mediation services are provided to private clients by the members of our mediation panel on a consultation basis.