The very unsavoury public spat between singer Madonna and her former husband, film director Guy Ritchie, over the custody of their teenage son Rocco has been a shining example of how not to resolve an issue which affects so many separated families, not just celebrities with the money and power to endure long\u00a0 drawn out court battles..<\/p>\n
Sian Aung<\/strong>, a Partner at leading and award winning regional law firm RRP Associates is also Head of the Family Law<\/a> dept. She says \u201cOn the surface at least this looks very much like a battle between two warring exes and not about focusing on the needs and wants of their son. Apparently the child custody arrangements were put in place seven years ago when Rocco was eight and now he\u2019s a fast growing teenager with a mind of his own who knows what he wants and clearly it\u2019s not the same as his mother Madonna.<\/p>\n \u201cHe must have felt so humiliated by the massive publicity surrounding this case, especially when he\u2019s at a very sensitive age and fast becoming a young man. Clearly Madonna is a loving mother but what she and Guy have failed to do in this case is work the problem out behind closed doors between themselves and in the best interests of their child and not their own desires.<\/p>\n \u201cI always recommend that the best course of action on child custody cases when focusing on where the child or children will live and with whom after a family breakdown<\/a> is to choose the mediation<\/a> route first. The benefit of mediation<\/a> in child disputes is that you are far more likely to reach a reasonably amicable agreement and at a far lower cost than taking the matter to court.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the case of Madonna and Guy Ritchie even a judge told them to settle their differences out of court. Often within court proceedings no one is happy with the outcome and children who are aware of the proceedings feel under a lot of pressure. With this particular case being completely played out in public, the potential emotional damage to all parties concerned and especially Rocco will be considerable.<\/p>\n \u201cMediation<\/a> can give couples a much needed helping hand so that difficult conversations can start between both parties and prove productive rather than incendiary. It involves ex partners meeting with an independent mediator to talk through issues arising from their separation. This can include concerns such as what is to happen with the family home? What should the arrangements be for the children? What financial support<\/a> do each of you need? The purpose of mediation is not to assist clients to rekindle their relationship, but instead to ensure that the process of separation is as amicable and productive as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cAt RRP Associates our qualified Mediators are trained to give both parties impartial guidance to help them to understand their choices and to move forward more easily than they ever thought would be possible. Mediation<\/a> provides a neutral and calm environment for discussions to take place. People are encouraged to consider all the options available to them and they will have the opportunity to consult with their solicitor throughout the process if they choose to.<\/p>\n