Family Mediation And Conciliation Services

EDM number 366 in 1992-93, proposed by Jean Corston on 29/06/1992.

That this House recognises that the fundamental principle of the Children Act 1989 is that the welfare of children is of paramount concern; that divorcing parents can be assisted to achieve this objective by recourse to mediation and conciliation services; that courts now require divoring parents to indicate on the statement of arrangements form whether they have seen or are prepared to see a mediator; that a national though unofficial network of mediation services now exists through such organisations as the national Family Conciliation Council and the Family Mediators Association, but that many organisations such as the Bristol Family Conciliation Service are under threat of closure because the Lord Chancellor's Department refuses to provide funding for such services until the completion of the review of the family justice system, which may take some years; considers that such delay will cause unnecessary stress to the children of divorcing parents, contrary to the Government's stated intentions; and calls on the Government to provide as a matter of urgency, funding on at least an interim basis pending the review of the family justice system, so as to enable mediation and conciliation services to continue their excellent work.

This motion has been signed by a total of 92 MPs.