Situations we help with
- Expat separation. You are living abroad, perhaps in the UAE, Europe, Asia or elsewhere, and your relationship has ended.
- One parent abroad. One of you has moved overseas, and you need a long-distance parenting plan.
- Relocation. One parent wants to move country with the children. Moving abroad with children.
- Returning to the UK. You are planning to come home and need to agree arrangements first.
- Assets in more than one country. Property, pensions or businesses held overseas.
- Mixed-nationality and multicultural families. Different languages, faiths and family expectations.
Why mediation works well across borders
- One conversation, not two court cases. International disputes can lead to proceedings in more than one country, with different rules and long delays. Mediation brings everything into one place.
- Practical, tailored solutions. Video contact schedules, school holiday travel, flight costs and passport arrangements can all be agreed in detail.
- Flexible timing. Sessions by video at times that work for both of you, wherever you are.
- Lower cost. Far less than instructing lawyers and attending court in two jurisdictions.
What a long-distance parenting plan can cover
- Which country the children live in, and how often they travel
- School holidays, half terms and festivals split across countries
- Who pays for flights, and who travels with younger children
- Regular video calls and other contact between visits
- Passports, travel consent letters and where documents are kept
- Schooling, language and staying connected to both cultures
Important: Mediators are impartial and cannot give legal advice. In international cases it is especially important that you each get specialist family law advice in every relevant country before finalising any agreement.
How it works
- Free 10-minute call to understand where each of you is and what needs to be agreed.
- Separate MIAMs by video, scheduled for each person's time zone.
- Mediation sessions, joint or shuttle, by video.
- A written agreement, which you can take to lawyers in each country, and make into a consent order in England and Wales where appropriate.