Connecting Family Mediation Practice and Research Workshop

The Family Mediation Council (FMC), the voluntary regulatory body for family mediators in England and Wales, is running a collaborative workshop to establish linkages between the organisation and researchers. The workshop aims to establish working relationships amongst the FMC and researchers, with the intention of encouraging collaborative grant proposals in line with the organisations’ research interests.

Event Details

Date: Tuesday 9 June 2026

Time: 9:30-15:30

Location: University of Warwick

Workshop Information

In this collaborative workshop, attendees will be given an insight into the FMC’s research interests. They will also hear from funders and scholars with previous experience in applying for grant funding. Finally, attendees will be invited to discuss particular research opportunities, relevant to their own research interests, with other scholars in the area.

Confirmed speakers are:

Helen Anthony, CEO of the FMC, and Robert Creighton, Chair of the Family Mediation Standards Board.
Ash Patel, Programme Head for Justice at the Nuffield Foundation
Dr Rajnaara Akhtar, Associate Professor at the University of Warwick
Dr Jaime Lindsey, Associate Professor at the University of Oxford

This workshop is open to those who have researched family mediation and family law. It is also relevant to those who have researched areas such as social work, domestic abuse and children. Scholars who have researched other branches of mediation are also invited to register for the event.

The workshop will take place on 9 June 2026, at the University of Warwick. Catering, including lunch and refreshments, will be available. Attendees will also be reimbursed for reasonable travel. Unfortunately, we are unable to reimburse any accommodation costs.

Further Information

Family mediation, a process whereby a mediator supports two parties to obtain an agreement, is now a vital part of England and Wales’ family justice system. For the 100,000 couples who divorce or dissolve their civil partnership each year, family mediation supports them to agree on how to care for their children and/or divide their financial assets post-separation.

A 2025 survey by the FMC suggests that most family mediators have seen an increase in their case load in the last 12 months, most likely driven by the 2024 changes to family court rules. Nonetheless, research on family mediation remains limited, particularly in terms of representative and/or up-to-date data. The FMC is interested in making connections with scholars to support them in accessing both data and research funding.

Register your interest

Due to the limited number of places available, we are asking prospective attendees to complete a short expression of interest form. Please complete the expression of interest form (link below) by 20 May. Invitations will be issued on a rolling basis, taking into account both applicants’ research interests and the evolving composition of the workshop.

Please note that preference will be given to those in Early Career or Junior positions. As highlighted above, the FMC is interested in speaking not only to those who have researched family mediation but also its broader context, including domestic abuse and family poverty.

For any queries regarding the workshop, please contact Dr Rachael Blakey (rachael.blakey@warwick.ac.uk).

This project is funded by the British Academy’s Early Career Researcher Network Seed Fund (principal investigator Dr Rachael Blakey).