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Family mediator

Family mediators help divorcing or separating couples reach agreement without having to go to court.

Average salary (a year)

£20,000 Starter

to

£35,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

35 to 37 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends attending events or appointments

How to become a family mediator

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • volunteering
  • applying directly
  • training with a professional association

University

You could do a degree or postgraduate diploma in:

  • social work
  • law
  • counselling
  • psychotherapy
  • education

You'll need several years' experience in your chosen profession alongside a qualification to move into mediation work.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels for a degree
  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

More information

Volunteering and experience

You'll need paid or voluntary experience of working with families to get into this job. This could be in settings like family support centres, counselling services or child contact centres.

Volunteering at a local community mediation service, for instance helping to settle neighbour disputes, can also be useful experience.

Direct application

You could apply for a job as a trainee family mediator if you have a higher education qualification and experience in an area like:

  • law
  • social work
  • counselling

As part of the selection process, you'll need to show you have the right personal qualities and skills to be a family mediator.

Other routes

You can do training with a professional association that works in mediation. Training entry requirements vary between them but most will expect you to have relevant experience from paid work or volunteering.

Associations include:

More information

Career tips

Some family law solicitors and legal executives choose to train and work as mediators although law qualifications are not essential for this job.

Further information

You'll find more advice about working in family mediation through the Family Mediation Council.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • persuading and negotiating skills
  • active listening skills
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • knowledge of English language
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and requirements

You'll need to:

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In this role you could be:

  • meeting clients jointly or separately to explain the mediation process and decide on the issues to discuss
  • helping clients find ways of communicating with each other
  • listening to each client’s feelings and concerns
  • discussing issues like child residence and contact, property and money
  • helping clients to consider all options and suggesting and discussing solutions
  • keeping discussions fair, equal and focused
  • keeping accurate and confidential records of discussions
  • summarising agreements in writing
  • recognising when mediation is not working
  • working with solicitors and courts when necessary

Working environment

You could work in an office.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.

Career path and progression

With experience you could set up your own mediation practice, train and supervise other mediators, or become a service manager. 

You could use your mediation skills in other careers like housing, social work or advice work.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a family mediator right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Level 3 Access to HE Social Work and Social Studies

  • Provider: Tameside College
  • Start date: 23 October 2019
  • Location: Ashton-Under-Lyne

Diploma in Preparing for Further Study in Health, Social Care and Social Work (QCF)

  • Provider: Barking & Dagenham College
  • Start date: 04 March 2020
  • Location: Romford
Find courses near you

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