Jacqueline O'Brien - PAX Mediation
Postal Address
PO Box 651827
2010 Benmore South Africa
Visiting Address
Benmore Road, Sandton, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng, 2196, South Africa
T: +27 (0)11 7839960
M: +27 (0) 834036777
http://www.paxmediators.co.za
Description
Divorce Mediation Mediation is the most efficient and cost effective way to resolve family law conflicts with divorcing couples. Mediation saves you money by having both parties using the SAME IMPARTIAL mediator to help you reach resolution without the emotional trauma. Before calling in a divorce lawyer and the expense that entails try the non-confrontational path of mediation. If you are separating or divorcing you need to make a number of vital decisions about the future. Divorce mediation can help you with such issues as: • Division of your assets; • A Parenting Plan: arrangements for the care of your children; • Child maintenance payments, • The financial implications of your break up. Mediation can help you stay in control. No-one will make you do anything against your wishes. The mediator will help you find a solution which works for all parties concerned and explain how you can make an agreement legally binding. If you go to court to sort out your issues, the judge will make the decisions. You will need to stick to these decisions even if one or both of you feel unhappy about them Family Mediation Family mediation helps family members: married and unmarried, parents, grandparents, step-parents and young people can all take part. Family mediation assists in resolving issues such as: • strained relationships between family members; • the impact of a family’s immigration or relocation; • financial disputes, for example in a family business; • maintenance disputes; • problems between step-parents and their step-children. Family Mediation can also be used to help with other problems you might face, for example, your children keeping in touch with their grandparents or extended family. Mediation can especially be helpful post-divorce when arrangements you’ve made before need to be reviewed due to changing circumstances. Parenting Plans The Children’s Act offers parenting plans as a method to assist parents with how to effectively co-parent after separation or divorce. A parenting plan sets out how parents will exercise their respective responsibilities and rights. It must comply with the best interests of the child principle as set out in the Act, and must include the following issues: • where and with whom the child is to live; • the maintenance of the child; • contact between the child and any other person; and•the schooling and religious upbringing of the child.A parenting plan is essentially a roadmap directing how children will be raised after separation or divorce. As a co-parenting solution, it is a written agreement drafted by both parents with the help of a mediator. The Act requires that children also be consulted when such a plan is drafted so that they have an opportunity to give their input on living, care and contact arrangements. Once the plan is finalised, it is signed by both parents. Parenting plans need to be regurlarly reviewed, as children’s developmental needs change over time. During the drafting phase, the mediator will explore all aspects of family life, focusing on what is in the best interests of the children and, together with the parents, will determine things such as whether primary or shared residency is the best option for the children, how often and when each parent will see the children, which religion the child renwill be brought up in, which schools they will attend and where the children will spend holidays. In addition, the plan may specify how parents will communicate with each other and the child, and how new partners will be introduced. Developing a parenting plan is an essential part of the divorce process. Although parenting plans can be drawn up at any stage in a separation or divorce, it is advisable that matters relating to children be sorted out sooner rather than later. It is important for children to have plenty of access to both parents. There are an infinite number of possibilities available when drawing up a parenting plan. Jobs, schools and a variety of other factors must still be taken into account. The bottom line is to find a plan that works for the whole family. Remember that parents can still participate in their children’s lives even when they are living elsewhere or does not have frequent or equal contact with them.Parenting plans should minimise loss and maximise relationships for children. Ultimately, the role of parents is to cooperate and to provide as many opportunities for their children as possible. Parents divorce each other, but never their children.Workplace MediationWorkplace mediation is a voluntary and confidential process in which an impartial mediator works with individuals who are in conflict to explore, and understand their differences with a view to re-establishing and improving their working relationship.Typically, employers don’t want to lose their valued staff and employees don’t want to lose their job. When managers and HR notice changes in staff behaviour, attendance and work quality, this might be the result of anxiety and stress caused by staff relationship issues. Workplace mediation is most appropriate early in the life of the conflict, where the people involved want to improve their work situation and are committed to resolving the issues.Workplace mediation attempts to prevent conflicts turning into CCMA disputes and as such has a strong facilitative and transformative aspect, whereby emphasis is given to understanding and improving communication between the parties to the conflict.An important role of the mediator is to work with the parties together; to help them effectively engage with each other and facilitate the difficult discussions that are necessary in order to rebuild their relationship and be able to work more constructively in the future.Workplace mediation as an informal dispute resolution process can be used to help resolve issues such as:•poor performance•staff absenteeism•issues of diversity, discrimination and values•bullying and harassment•organisational change•incompatibility or personality clashes•conflict arising from mergers and acquisitions•disputes between and within teams.Workplace mediation can also be used before or after formal complaints, investigations, grievances or disciplinary proceedings.Financial DisputesFinancial disputes can arise anywhere. Within families, between business partners, post-divorce, between neighbours. Where there are people, money matters can become an issue. If you are considering litigating your financial dispute, think again. The legal costs might exceed the amount you are arguing about. There is always a way to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution to a financial problem.
Divorce Mediation Mediation is the most efficient and cost effective way to resolve family law conflicts with divorcing couples. Mediation saves you money by having both parties using the SAME IMPARTIAL mediator to help you reach resolution without the emotional trauma. Before calling in a divorce lawyer and the expense that entails try the non-confrontational path of mediation. If you are separating or divorcing you need to make a number of vital decisions about the future. Divorce mediation can help you with such issues as: • Division of your assets; • A Parenting Plan: arrangements for the care of your children; • Child maintenance payments, • The financial implications of your break up. Mediation can help you stay in control. No-one will make you do anything against your wishes. The mediator will help you find a solution which works for all parties concerned and explain how you can make an agreement legally binding. If you go to court to sort out your issues, the judge will make the decisions. You will need to stick to these decisions even if one or both of you feel unhappy about them Family Mediation Family mediation helps family members: married and unmarried, parents, grandparents, step-parents and young people can all take part. Family mediation assists in resolving issues such as: • strained relationships between family members; • the impact of a family’s immigration or relocation; • financial disputes, for example in a family business; • maintenance disputes; • problems between step-parents and their step-children. Family Mediation can also be used to help with other problems you might face, for example, your children keeping in touch with their grandparents or extended family. Mediation can especially be helpful post-divorce when arrangements you’ve made before need to be reviewed due to changing circumstances. Parenting Plans The Children’s Act offers parenting plans as a method to assist parents with how to effectively co-parent after separation or divorce. A parenting plan sets out how parents will exercise their respective responsibilities and rights. It must comply with the best interests of the child principle as set out in the Act, and must include the following issues: • where and with whom the child is to live; • the maintenance of the child; • contact between the child and any other person; and•the schooling and religious upbringing of the child.A parenting plan is essentially a roadmap directing how children will be raised after separation or divorce. As a co-parenting solution, it is a written agreement drafted by both parents with the help of a mediator. The Act requires that children also be consulted when such a plan is drafted so that they have an opportunity to give their input on living, care and contact arrangements. Once the plan is finalised, it is signed by both parents. Parenting plans need to be regurlarly reviewed, as children’s developmental needs change over time. During the drafting phase, the mediator will explore all aspects of family life, focusing on what is in the best interests of the children and, together with the parents, will determine things such as whether primary or shared residency is the best option for the children, how often and when each parent will see the children, which religion the child renwill be brought up in, which schools they will attend and where the children will spend holidays. In addition, the plan may specify how parents will communicate with each other and the child, and how new partners will be introduced. Developing a parenting plan is an essential part of the divorce process. Although parenting plans can be drawn up at any stage in a separation or divorce, it is advisable that matters relating to children be sorted out sooner rather than later. It is important for children to have plenty of access to both parents. There are an infinite number of possibilities available when drawing up a parenting plan. Jobs, schools and a variety of other factors must still be taken into account. The bottom line is to find a plan that works for the whole family. Remember that parents can still participate in their children’s lives even when they are living elsewhere or does not have frequent or equal contact with them.Parenting plans should minimise loss and maximise relationships for children. Ultimately, the role of parents is to cooperate and to provide as many opportunities for their children as possible. Parents divorce each other, but never their children.Workplace MediationWorkplace mediation is a voluntary and confidential process in which an impartial mediator works with individuals who are in conflict to explore, and understand their differences with a view to re-establishing and improving their working relationship.Typically, employers don’t want to lose their valued staff and employees don’t want to lose their job. When managers and HR notice changes in staff behaviour, attendance and work quality, this might be the result of anxiety and stress caused by staff relationship issues. Workplace mediation is most appropriate early in the life of the conflict, where the people involved want to improve their work situation and are committed to resolving the issues.Workplace mediation attempts to prevent conflicts turning into CCMA disputes and as such has a strong facilitative and transformative aspect, whereby emphasis is given to understanding and improving communication between the parties to the conflict.An important role of the mediator is to work with the parties together; to help them effectively engage with each other and facilitate the difficult discussions that are necessary in order to rebuild their relationship and be able to work more constructively in the future.Workplace mediation as an informal dispute resolution process can be used to help resolve issues such as:•poor performance•staff absenteeism•issues of diversity, discrimination and values•bullying and harassment•organisational change•incompatibility or personality clashes•conflict arising from mergers and acquisitions•disputes between and within teams.Workplace mediation can also be used before or after formal complaints, investigations, grievances or disciplinary proceedings.Financial DisputesFinancial disputes can arise anywhere. Within families, between business partners, post-divorce, between neighbours. Where there are people, money matters can become an issue. If you are considering litigating your financial dispute, think again. The legal costs might exceed the amount you are arguing about. There is always a way to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution to a financial problem.