Calm Mediation will no longer provide a family mediation service for divorcing and separating couples and has withdrawn its contract with the Legal Aid Agency. Legal Aid rates have not increased for over twenty years and in recent years has been run by Calm Mediation on a loss-making basis. In recognition of the significant social value and public benefit of providing a family mediation service Calm Mediation has until now kept the service going by subsidising it from other profitable services.
Calm Mediation CEO Ed Procter said:
“Sadly, we have reached the point where subsidising our loss-making family mediation service is putting other services at risk. Legal aid rates have not changed for 21 years and the cost of maintaining a family mediation contract with the legal aid agency has increased year on year”
Calm Mediation will aim to complete as many of its existing divorce and separation cases as possible by the end of May. New divorce and separation mediation enquiries and clients involved in long running cases will be transferred to our partner services at South East London Family Mediation Bureau and South East Mediation.
Calm Mediation will continue to offer mediation between extended family members over issues such as later life planning and relationship breakdown.
