Using Mediation To Decide Child Custody

Many people are familiar with the option of using mediation during a divorce, but fewer know that mediation is also a useful tool for other related disputes, such as child custody and child visitation. Using mediation to resolve your child custody dispute has a number of benefits – let’s take a closer look.

• Child custody mediation is less expensive. If you and your spouse are both open-minded and willing to compromise, mediation is a significantly cheaper way to make child custody decisions.
• Child custody mediation can be faster. Going to court for child custody disputes isn’t just expensive, it also involves a lot of red tape and waiting. When parents work together, mediation can be a much simpler and faster process.
• Child custody mediation lets you make the decisions. When you go to court for child custody or child visitation, you put decisions about your children into a stranger’s hands – a stranger who might not fully understand the situation like you and your former partner do. Mediation allow the two parents – the two people who know your kids best – to decide together what is best for them.
• Child custody mediation can provide more unique solutions. Court decisions regarding child custody usually fit into just a few different ideas of family. In mediation, you can create your own unique parenting plan that works best for your own family’s needs.
• Child custody mediation builds a foundation for communication. Because both parents work together to find a solution for their child custody issues, studies have found that parents who choose mediation are more likely to stick to plans and to continue healthy communication with their ex-spouse after the decisions are made.
• Child custody mediation sets a tone of cooperation. While your romantic relationship may be over, your children require that you continue a parenting relationship with your partner even after a divorce or breakup. Mediation can help begin your new relationship as collaborating parents.

Are you considering mediation for your child custody dispute? Talk to a Seattle family law attorney today about your situation.