Looking for mediation in London

[MadameDefarge]

can anyone direct me to a Mediation service in London?

Just need an impartial third party for me and ExP to discuss ds and his needs with.

[Resolution]

Google college of mediators or resolution mediators. I'd suggest a solicitor mediator. Same rules of impartiality but I think there's more of a confidence to them. Mediators don't have to have specialist expertise in family law, but solicitor mediators will have by dint of them being a solicitor.
Sounds like you don't need legal advice anyway. Have you thought about a family therapist? They'll help you both learn to communicate better.

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

National Family mediation. Disagree that mediator should be a solicitor though, although some are.

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

here

[MadameDefarge]

I suggested mediation, and told him I was happy that he found one (so that he could not accuse me of having someone on my side)

But he said he had found one and that he was getting all the forms to sign.

What forms? Eek! He does not have PR, and while I would have agreed to it a few years ago, and indeed suggested it. I would not agree now. At the moment he is fuming because ds got into a fab school, rather than the one he wanted, because, er, its next door to him. And he doesn't want to take him on the bus to school.

I have in some cunning manner fiddled the secondary school application process. Ho hum.

I just can't talk to him as he has become really paranoid and weird.

[MadameDefarge]

Thank you Resolution and ILove. very useful.

Though I wish Melv would turn up. I would very much appreciate his advise

[Resolution]

You tease.....

[MadameDefarge]

I think he and ExP might be related. Except Melv can actually write in almost proper sentences. Though they make about as much sense!

[MadameDefarge]

I suppose I am thinking more along the counselling line rather than the legal line.

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

It's a fine line between mediation and counselling, but mediation tends not to re visit the question of, 'what went wrong in our relationship' but probably more of, 'how can we move forward as parents...'

If you ex is receiving legal aid, then there would be forms and think now mediators are the ones to sign the legal aid forms in the first instance as mediation has to be attempted. Anyway, don't let it intimidate you.

[MadameDefarge]

That is very interesting. In point fact, I hold all the legal cards at the moment, and I think he just doesn't realise how accomodating I have been (never chased him for child support, always agreed to foreign holidays with ds, even 5 weeks last summer) always involved him in decisions etc. I agreed to ds living with him durieng school week due to having found him a great school near ExPs and wanting to save him long bus journey's while he was smaller, and ds really wanted to try out living with ExP.

I need someone unbiased to point out to him how reasonable I am being. The issue in point is that he did not want ds to go to secondary near me, because it is a half an hour bus journey from his house, and he is not prepared to go on the bus with him at first. I think he rather thought ds (who has been living with him for the school week for two years) would continue to live with him forever, and that I would just be peripheral.

He is now cross because I have said we would do 50/50 residency.