• Up to £500 for separating families to settle childcare and money matters without going to Court as Government scheme extended.
• New digital tools to make it easier for parents to find the right help at the right time.
• Part of government’s plan to support families and deliver faster, fairer justice.

Separating families will save hundreds of pounds, face less stress and be able to move on with their lives quicker thanks to crucial Government action.

Today (15 May), Justice Minister Baroness Levitt KC confirmed that the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme will be extended for another year – giving separating families £500 towards their mediation costs to help them solve issues around childcare and finances without going to court.

Made possible by over £7m a year in Government funding, the Family Mediation Voucher Scheme has already supported more than 54,000 parents since it launched in 2021.

The Government has also rolled out a series of new digital tools on GOV.UK, making it easier than ever for parents to find the right help at the right time. These include:

• The “Child Arrangement Planner” – a digital alternative dispute resolution service helping separating families agree practical arrangements for their children on GOV.UK.
• The “Get Help Finding a Child Arrangement Option” – a triage service which helps users identify the most suitable path to resolution based on their circumstances.
• A redesign of GOV.UK content for separating families, making it clearer and easier to use to encourage families to settle disputes outside of Court where appropriate.

The package is a key part of the government’s plan to help families save money and turn the page after separation by settling disputes more quickly and more easily outside of court.

Justice Minister Baroness Levitt KC said:

Separation is one of the hardest moments in any family’s life. The last thing parents need is a slow, costly court fight that drags out the pain, particularly for their children.

Our actions put families back in control. We are producing simple online tools and clear advice on GOV.UK which, taken together with the non-means tested £500 mediation voucher, will help parents to sort things out more quickly, with less stress and lower cost.

The changes build on the Government’s recent decision to expand Child Focused Courts – formerly known as Pathfinder Courts – across England and Wales. Child Focused Courts have been highly successful during their trial period in several areas. In particular, in some of the pilot areas, Family Court backlogs have halved and cases are being resolved up to seven and a half months faster,  sparing children and families prolonged uncertainty.