New study shows potential benefits of mediation for kinship families

Commissioned by Foundations, the national body for children and families, Coram’s feasibility study found that structured mediation has the potential to improve communication, reduce disputes and support more stable arrangements for children being raised by relatives or close family friends. With further development and investment, the approach could become a key part of the national support offer for kinship families.

An estimated 138,000 children in the UK live in kinship care, often following difficult circumstances that can leave carers and birth parents facing tension and stress. Mediation, which brings in a neutral third party to help families reach agreement, may help to ease these pressures and enable decisions to be made collaboratively in children’s best interests.

The study examined a mediation programme delivered by Family Solutions, involving 17 kinship families across five local authority areas in southern England. It explored both the feasibility of delivering structured mediation and its potential to improve outcomes for families.

Early findings were promising. Mediation was found to help open up communication between carers and birth parents, reduce conflict, and clarify expectations around contact arrangements. It also offered families an alternative to court proceedings and helped birth parents feel more confident, included and empowered in decision-making.

Participants spoke positively about the process. One kinship carer said mediation “enabled us to talk through difficult situations in a more controlled environment,” while a birth parent reflected: “We learnt how to keep things child focused… not all about me or the kinship carer – it’s all about the children and we keep it centred to them.”

Professionals and families praised the Family Solutions mediators for their flexibility and compassion, and supported the idea of expanding the model more widely.

Coram’s report makes a series of recommendations for strengthening and scaling mediation services for kinship families. These include raising awareness and challenging misconceptions about mediation; referring families earlier and providing additional resources to support engagement; offering more support for birth parents to increase their understanding and participation; strengthening multi-agency training and knowledge of mediation; and introducing follow-up sessions to help families maintain progress and reinforce agreements made during the process.

The report also calls for further feasibility work before moving to large-scale trials, including improvements to evaluation methods and greater involvement of children and young people in shaping and reviewing the service.

Hannah Lawrence, principal investigator for the study, said: “Kinship families often face complex relationships and high levels of stress, particularly when tensions arise between kinship carers and birth parents. This study is a first step in establishing an evidence base for mediation as an intervention that could reduce conflict, improve communication, and support joint decision-making focused on the child’s best interests. With further development, this kind of approach could become a valuable part of the support available to kinship families across England.”