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LATEST NEWS & EVENTS Children and mediation put at core of family justice  Children are to be put at the heart of reforms to the family justice system in England and Wales. The Family Justice Review panel is inviting young people to have their say on an ongoing consultation and has published a guide to facilitate this. David Norgrove, chair of the panel, said: "Children are the most important people in the family justice system and it is vital that they have a voice in shaping its future." It comes as the panel publishes an interim report on the consultation that highlights the importance mediation services are to play in family disputes. The report stresses that the state can only play a limited part in the ten per cent of separation cases involving children where the parties cannot agree on arrangements. It states that court is generally not the most suitable place to resolve these disputes. "Where possible, disputes should be resolved independently or using dispute resolution services such as mediation," the panel said. The Family Justice Review panel will make its final recommendations to the government this autumn. Grant Cameron, family law solicitor and mediator at Lamport Bassitt, comments: "Research has consistently shown that children benefit hugely from knowing that their parents are working out their differences together constructively. By adopting alternative methods of dispute resolution such as mediation or collaborative law where there are children of the family it sends out a remarkable positive message to the children. "It is preferable to the court arena where a decision can be imposed on a family that may not suit anyone whereas with mediation and collaborative law the couple set the agenda and consider various options which often may be more flexible and child focused." Posted by Alex McLean 
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