It is 10 months away, but plans for Family Mediation Week 2027 are already under way after participant numbers rose again this year, making the 2026 week the most successful yet.
Over 4,300 people took part in a series of webinars, which ran during Family Mediation Week (26 – 30 January 2026).
Organised by the Family Mediation Council (FMC), Family Mediation Week is an annual event that raises awareness of the benefits of family mediation, a process that can help ex-partners agree what works for them, without the additional stress, cost and time of a courtroom conflict.
The aggregated figure of 4.398 participants in this year’s webinars represents a rise of 16% on 2025’s corresponding event.
Helen Anthony, CEO of the FMC, said: “All the efforts of those involved in organising Family Mediation Week reaped record engagement levels. This means increased awareness and understanding of the many benefits that family mediation can bring to separating families. We are now working on plans to make next year’s event, 25 – 29 January 2027, even more effective.
“Meanwhile, the FMC continues to work with registered mediators and the government to further raise the profile of family mediation as a quicker, cheaper and less stressful way to make post-separation arrangements.”
Members of the public, mediators, lawyers, family justice professionals, teachers, social workers, and many others working with families took part in 19 free webinars. They were recorded and are now freely available to watch here.
Key themes covered include:
- Hybrid / integrated mediation
- Children’s voices in family separation
- Practical tips for lawyers supporting clients in mediation
- An introduction to mediation for members of Local Family Justice Boards
- Supporting neurodiverse clients in family mediation
- A beginner’s guide to how mediation can help you in separation or divorce
- Working with an interpreter in mediation
- Kinship mediation
- Tools for teachers supporting children in separating families
- Using mediation to support separating military families
- Sharia Councils and family mediation
- Managing turbulent emotions in separation or divorce
The live webinars attracted a total of 2,425 participants, with a further 1,973 having so far watched the recordings to date. A number of in-person events for family justice professionals also took place during the week.
Legal Aid and Family Mediation Vouchers remain available to help fund the cost of family mediation.
