Family Mediation Week 2026 was launched at the office of Family Law in Partnership in London yesterday (Wednesday), ahead of a week packed with on and offline events and learning opportunities for family lawyers, other professionals and the wider general public.
The event, hosted by the Family Mediation Council (FMC), outlined the ambitions for the week long awareness campaign, which will start on Monday 26th January and bring together mediators, legal professionals, policymakers and members of the public to highlight the role mediation can play in helping families resolve conflict constructively and sustainably.
The event saw Justice Committee chair Andy Slaughter MP speak on behalf of government about its ambitions to see family justice take a more central role in policy following consultations and reports on courts, prisons and sentencing. He acknowledged the impact of the 30 year funding freeze on legal aid, and said he hoped to be able to return ahead of next year’s event with news on progress.
Speaking on the Today’s Family Lawyer podcast in the run up to National Mediation Week, Romina Kamran, a fully accredited family mediator and founder of Arc Mediation, Paul Linsell, partner and head of the family law team at Boyes Turner, and Sarah Manning, partner at Hall Brown Family Law and long‑standing chair of the Family Mediation Week, expressed their hopes Family Mediation Week 2026 would be the best yet.
They explained the central aim of the week is to ensure separating families are aware at the earliest possible stage that mediation is a viable, regulated and effective option for resolving disputes about children and finances, without defaulting immediately to court. They went on to explain how the week is an opportunity to raise public awareness and build confidence in the mediation process. Linsell added the FMC’s overarching ambition is that every separating or separated family should be able to access high‑quality, regulated family mediation where appropriate.
Central to this is the FMC’s role in maintaining professional standards, overseeing the accreditation of mediators, setting a compulsory code of practice, and stipulating continuing professional development, supervision and appropriate safeguards such as professional indemnity insurance and complaints processes. For consumers and professionals alike, the FMC register provides reassurance that mediators have met stringent professional criteria.
The week itself, now firmly established in the legal calendar, also sets out to challenge misconceptions about mediation and foster a more informed public conversation around separation. Mediation, said Manning, is often misunderstood or overlooked, with many families assuming that instructing solicitors and proceeding towards litigation is the only available route. The week aims to highlight that mediation is not about conflict, nor is it about conciliation, a widely misunderstood concept. Rather, mediation is about cooperation, communication and empowering families to make their own decisions safely and constructively.
For the first time, National Mediation Week has expanded the number of events and training opportunities avaiable to the public and professionals. As Manning notes, many families first disclose relationship or parenting difficulties to teachers, GPs, counsellors or health visitors well before approaching lawyers or mediators. By equipping those professionals with a basic understanding of mediation, the campaign seeks to improve early signposting and ensure families are aware of their options before positions harden and conflict escalates.
The official start of the public programme on Monday 26th January sees online webinars and regional in‑person meetings (held in London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Guildford, Newbury and Bishop’s Stortford) provide sessions tailored to their audience. Topics range from introductory explanations of mediation to more practical sessions exploring how solicitors can best support clients through the mediation process.
All webinars will be recorded and made available via the FMC’s YouTube channel, ensuring those unable to attend live can access the content on demand.
- The link to register for the webinars is available on the Family Mediation Council website: Family Mediation Week 2026 – Webinar Timetable
- The link to the in person meetings is here: Family Mediation Week 2026 – In-person Events
Concluding the podcast, Romina Kamran said there is growing optimism within the profession, driven in part by the success of the government’s mediation voucher scheme and a shift in professional culture. There is also a growing recognition that mediation should not be viewed as a procedural hurdle or a last resort, but as a process that can support families over time as circumstances evolve. Lawyers, mediators and other professionals each have a role to play, and effective outcomes are most likely where those roles are understood and aligned from the outset.
Listen in to the discussion on the Today’s Family Lawyer podcast below, available on your preferred podcast provider and at www.todaysfamilylawyer.co.uk.
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