The Divorce Manual- For separating couples and their Family Solutions Team

The Divorce Manual

“There are many who believe that family law and the process of working out solutions to family separation is too complicated to be left to separating couples to sort out for themselves. This is quite simply not true”- Author of the Divorce Manual- “Legal complexity is a civil rights injustice”

The Vision

The vision is to help and support as many separating couples as possible now and in the future to reach their own separation and divorce agreements in the least stressful, most cost-effective way using the Divorce Manual.

Introduction

The Divorce Manual is built on the firmly held belief, based on decades of experience and feedback from couples going through separation and divorce, that with the right information and professional support, the vast majority of divorcing couples (more than 75,000 couples a year in the UK) are very capable of and want to agree their own financial and child arrangements.

Chapters and Resources

The web-based Divorce Manual, the first of its kind in the UK, comprises 4 Parts, 14 chapters, 112 sections, 112 videos, numerous guides, documents and carefully selected websites, dedicated to helping and supporting separating couples to separate together, using the mediation process.

How to use it

The 13 chapters, 113 sections and videos take the separated couple on a multi-media journey, supporting them every step of the way with information designed to help them make their own decisions and reach their own outcomes, based on a fair and principled approach, assisted by their Mediator, when required (using the Divorce Manual)

The mediation ‘team’- The ‘supported’ mediation process

We completely understand the fears and concerns that can arise about having to communicate and work with former partners and spouses in mediation so, if additional support is required to prepare to manage the communications in mediation (chapter 4), significantly increasing the chances of a successful mediated outcome, please speak to one our Divorce Coaches.

Where other experts are required in respect of financial, parenting matters and the law, our mediators are ready help the separated couple to select and work together with these experts, in a carefully managed cost-effective way, ensuring that the whole process is integrated, balanced and fair (‘Mediation teaming’).

Financial

Chapters 8 and 9 of the Divorce Manual explain step by step how separating couples can reach their own financial (including maintenance) agreement in 5 stages, using the mediation process, for a fraction of the cost of the more traditional legal approach.

Using a series of guides and documents, this chapter explains what information to provide, how to provide it and how to work together in mediation to ensure that a successful and fair financial outcome is reached. There are separate chapters about pensions and business interests in divorce.

The Resources section provides, among other things, mediation maps for 2,3,4 and 5 session mediations depending on whether pensions and business interests are involved and examples of Mediation summaries and financial orders so that couples know what to aim for.

Parenting Plans and children

Chapter 12 in conjunction with chapter 4 explain step by step how separated parents can create their own successful Parenting plan with a chapter, chapter 13, all about the impact of separation on children, keeping children’s needs central and firmly in focus throughout this process.

Summary

The Divorce Manual is based on the lessons learned from working with thousands of separating couples who valued the opportunity of being able to sort things out for themselves and their children and were motivated and committed to achieve this using the supported mediation process.

So, please take a look inside the Manual before you decide to buy it and please continue to provide us with feedback based on your experience of how the Divorce Manual and the Mediation Team helped you and your family through separation so that others in the future can learn from you.

John E Hind-Author of the Divorce Manual

Mediator-Divorce Coach-Former Family Solicitor-Trainer