Mediation is a way of helping people resolve issues relating to parenting, separation, and/or divorce including custody of or access to children, child and/or spousal support, and property division outside court. A family mediator can help people identify the issues that need to be resolved upon separation and work out solutions.
The following information is taken from the Legal Aid Ontario website at: http://www.legalaid.on.ca/en/getting/mediationservices.asp
Mediation helps people who have a dispute reach a settlement that fits their family’s needs, while minimizing conflict and delay.
Legal Aid Ontario's (LAO) mediation services are free, so long as one of the persons meets LAO’s financial eligibility requirements.
If you are interested in mediation but do not meet LAO’s eligibility guidelines, LAO can connect you to other mediators who provide subsidized mediations on a sliding scale fee.
What is family mediation?
Family mediation is a process where a mediator helps disputing parties brainstorm together on workable solutions that focus on the best interests of their children.
The mediator supports each person so that his or her perspective is considered. The mediator doesn’t take sides.
What issues can LAO mediation help us with?
LAO’s mediators help clients with:
- custody
- access
- parenting arrangements
- travel/vacation plans
- parenting communication
- child support
Where you can get LAO’s free mediation services
Contact LAO’s toll-free number to see if you’re eligible for LAO's free mediation services or to referred to subsidized mediation service.
Call 1-800-668-8258 from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
You may also qualify for free legal advice on your mediation agreement
If you’re a mediation client, you can call LAO’s toll-free line to learn if you’refinancially eligible for up to six hours with a lawyer, who can then help you before, during and after entering into any legal agreement based on the mediation.
You can receive advice from a lawyer about the mediation process, assistance in preparing for the mediation, or develop a better understanding of your options. The lawyer can also assist with obtaining a court order or binding agreement to enforce the terms of the mediation agreement.