Family Matters News

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of cohabitating couples in the UK is growing faster than married couples or lone-parent families.  In 2018, there were over 25% more cohabiting couples than there were ten years previously in 2008. Despite this, the myth of the “common law marriage”, in which couples who cohabit have the same rights as married couples, … [Read more...]

When Adele’s split with her husband, Simon Konecki, was announced last month, this is what was published: "Adele and her partner have separated. They are committed to raising their son together lovingly. As always, they ask for privacy. There will be no further comment." Of course, there is still a lot of press coverage, nothing sells a newspaper more than a juicy celebrity story, but that … [Read more...]

Here at Family Matters, we know how effective mediation is. However, despite government and other widespread support for the effectiveness of mediation, we still encounter people with misconceptions about how mediation will work and how it can help. Here Family Matters' director, Juliette Dalrymple, discuss some of those. I can’t get into the office to take part in a MIAM MIAMS usually work best … [Read more...]

Juliette Dalrymple The government this week announced details of how no-fault divorce will work when it is introduced. Support for the introduction of no-fault divorce is clear following last year’s 12-week consultation, which itself followed Supreme Court judges’ comments that they felt ‘uneasy’ when failing to support Tini Owen’s divorce appeal. The government has said that a new law … [Read more...]

The government has publicised its commitment to supporting family mediation as a major route to resolving family conflicts without the need to go to court, by confirming that legal aid will be extended after 2018. New legal aid contracts to provide family mediation services will be offered to eligible firms, upon submission, in April 2018, and the government has said that it does not envisage … [Read more...]