Welcome to
Better Mediation
Where we focus on helping families find their own solutions in a safe and supportive environment.
When a family stays stuck in conflict, the cost is measured in more than money — it affects children, health and home life, and a court battle often entrenches positions rather than resolving them.
Mediation gives both people a safe, confidential space to be heard and to make their own decisions — often sooner, and at a fraction of the cost.
Enquiring about a workplace dispute instead?
Visit our workplace dispute pageHow can mediation help?
Is mediation right for me?
Mediation is a dynamic, collaborative process, offering a flexible, speedy, and cost-effective solution to disputes. Instead of lengthy and stressful court battles, mediation provides a confidential environment to address concerns and achieve mutual agreements.
The benefits of mediation
It’s less stressful, there is more control over the outcome, and it is often more financially accessible. The Ministry of Justice has reported significant success rates for couples opting for mediation.
The mediation process
At Better Mediation, our experienced mediators will guide you through this process, ensuring that it’s tailored to your unique circumstances.
- 1At the beginning, you both sign an Agreement to Mediate, which sets out the steps in the process and a commitment that it will be approached in a confidential, respectful and problem-solving way.
- 2At the end of the mediation, Better Mediation can prepare a non-binding written summary of your proposals if that would be helpful.
- 3The mediator will summarise your proposals for you so that having taken legal advice, you can then have the proposals made into a legally binding agreement or court order.
Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in every circumstance. Where a risk of harm, fraud or a crime is disclosed, the mediator has a duty to report this to the relevant authorities and/or inform their supervision.
Situations we help resolve
Every family is different, but these are some of the most common reasons people come to us.
Arrangements for children
Where children will live, time with each parent, school holidays and special occasions.
Grandparents seeking contact
Mediation to help grandparents find a way to maintain a meaningful relationship with their grandchildren.
Child Inclusive Mediation
Giving children an opportunity to share their views, where appropriate, so parents can take them into account.
Finances and property
Dividing the family home, savings, pensions and debts in a way that feels fair.
Communication breakdown
Finding a calmer way to talk and make decisions together when conversations have become difficult.
Stuck in an impasse?
You may be feeling you can’t see an end to a dispute. For example, siblings who can’t agree plans for their dependent parent, or families and friends who just need help getting past an impasse.
Wherever you live in Scotland or England & Wales
We mediate on both sides of the border. Family law is different in each, so we'll ask where you live when you get in touch and reply with the steps that apply to you — there's nothing you need to work out first.
How mediation differs in Scotland and England & Wales
For families with children
Child Inclusive Mediation
When parents are making arrangements for their children, it can help to understand what matters to the children themselves. Better Mediation is qualified in Child Inclusive Mediation.
The aim is to help parents take their children’s perspectives into account while keeping responsibility for decisions with the adults. Better Mediation can discuss whether this approach is suitable for your family during the initial meeting.
Children's voices matter, and we recognise that it's a big step to include them in the process. Remember a mediator will never ask children to make choices. These remain with the parents. However, research in this field shows that children do value the chance to be heard.
The building blocks of Child Inclusive Mediation are:
- It is usually for children aged 10 and over, but if all siblings want to participate then we can see children from 8 years old.
- Both parents need to agree.
- The young person has a choice about whether to participate.
- The young person has control over what, if anything, is fed back.
Recent CIM research
- Children wanted a voice in the decision making process about arrangements when parents separate
- Young people feel they are more resilient than adults give them credit for in handling issues
- Having your voice heard as a young person in a parental mediation is empowering and cathartic, bringing mental health and well-being benefit
- Speaking to an empathic third party was an opportunity to discuss things they felt unable to raise with their parents, reducing anxiety
- Inclusion in mediation signalled parents cared about their opinion, helped them understand options and improved children's communication with parents
The HeaRT project — report and key findings 2022 — Barlow A, Ewing J et al
About us
Our approach
Better Mediation, led by Sarah Ross, is a practice rooted in pragmatism and understanding. Having re-trained as a mediator after years in marketing and management roles, Sarah brings years of commercial experience to her empathetic practice. She works with clients to ensure the mediation process respects and responds to their unique needs and concerns, facilitating open dialogue and practical solutions that work best for everyone. Although Sarah leads the business, she often co-mediates with other trusted professionals, depending on the nature of the case.
Trusted expertise
Sarah is a Family Mediation Council registered mediator, a member of The Family Mediators Association, and registered and accredited by Scottish Mediation. She mediates across Scotland and England & Wales and is qualified in Child Inclusive Mediation.
All these organisations combined provide a strict regulatory framework and code of practice by which we operate, and re-accreditation is required frequently.
Working with a wider network
Better Mediation can draw on a network of experienced mediators with specialised skills to address a wide range of mediation requirements.
Costs
The National Audit Office acknowledges that family disputes settled through mediation are more cost-effective than those addressed in Court. The mediation process can be cheaper and swifter than negotiating through solicitors or making an application to Court. Our fees reflect our dedication to providing a professional service that’s both effective and efficient.
Scotland
Intake meeting
£100.00 per person
Intake Meetings take 45 minutes to 1 hour.
If mediation then proceeds
£150.00 per person/per mediation session
Typically 90 minutes.
England & Wales
MIAM
£150 per person
The MIAM (Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting) is usually 1 hour.
If mediation then proceeds
£250 per person/per session
Typically 90 - 100 minutes.
There is no charge for a signed C100 form if mediation isn’t proceeding and you wish to make a Court application.
Additional fees are charged for the production of Open Financial Statements or Memorandums Of Understanding.
Clients should seek independent legal advice in conjunction with mediation where appropriate.
The fees for cases vary between the UK nations to reflect the additional complexities of record keeping, registration and professional memberships required by the Family Mediation Council in England and Wales.
We believe in the power of effective communication, striving for less adversarial and more collaborative resolutions. Whether you’re looking to resolve family disputes or understand the mediation process better, we offer a pragmatic, sensitive, and tailored approach.
What clients say
Family mediation is a sensitive and for many deeply personal process. For that reason we never put pressure on clients to 'review us'. However, sometimes clients are kind enough to tell us how the mediation process has helped them.
Ms E, Edinburgh
“Thank you so much for your support and care with our situation Sarah. I feel it has been such a helpful process for us both and hopefully has helped avoid potential conflict otherwise”
Mr H, Western Scotland — February 2026
“The process was hard but hugely beneficial. Sarah and Simon are very good at what they do — there's a calmness mixed with direction and structured feedback which really helped us in moving forward from what had been quite a fraught split up. We would not have been able to do what we did without their help. And their help also made sure that we avoided all the stress, strain and cost of court.”
Verified Trustpilot review
“Sarah was brilliant, put me at ease and helped me through a rough time”
Get in touch
What happens next:
- 1When we receive your form we will aim to contact you within 2 working days.
- 2You then have the option of booking a free call where we will outline the process for you. This call will give you the background you may need to decide to progress to a MIAM (Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting) or intake meeting.
Please note that we cannot discuss the details of your dispute in this call. That opportunity comes in the subsequent meeting.
Better Mediation cannot offer legal advice; clients are always wise to seek independent legal advice alongside mediation where appropriate.
The contact form is the best way to get in touch, as it gathers some basic information we need.
Prefer email? Write to us at — please include your location (Scotland or England & Wales) so we can reply with the steps that apply to you.
