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  4. Family courts

Family mediation

There are family mediation services available for parents having relationship problems. They can have relationship counselling and therapy. When parents decide to separate, they can use the pre-court family mediation service. It's a free service.

Pre-court mediation service

This service is available through:

  • Family Mediation NI
  • Barnardos

It can help families adjust to separation and divorce. The service is free. 

How family mediation can help

Mediation is voluntary.  A neutral mediator works with a couple to  identify how separation or divorce will affect the family and to find agreement about:

  • children
  • finance
  • property

Support and mediation can help couples develop a better relationship between each other and with their children after the divorce is finalised.

For more information on pre-court mediation services, go to:

  • Family Mediation NI website

This free service is additional to court-directed family mediation which is funded by legal aid or self funding by participants.

More useful links

  • Dealing with relationship problems
  • Family Support NI
  • NSPCC
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Family courts

  • Attending family courts
  • Child welfare during court proceedings (NIGALA)
  • Family law cases involving EU after 31 December 2020
  • Family mediation
  • Getting a divorce or dissolving a civil partnership
  • Solicitors and the courts

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