Family Life

How to Make Family Meetings Work for Stronger Bonds

Family meetings can be a great way for parents, foster carers, and children to connect, communicate, and strengthen their relationships. By setting aside dedicated time to check in, share feelings, and solve problems, families can gain understanding, improve cooperation , and build trust. Here are some tips for making your family meetings a success.

Schedule Regularly

The first step is to establish a consistent schedule for your family meetings. Sit down together and decide on a regular schedule that works for everyone, such as weekly or monthly. Mark it clearly in your calendars...

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Ellie Green

Ellie Green

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Mother’s Day and Divorce – how to tackle the topic with your ex

Exeter charity urges couples to embrace mediation ahead of Mother’s Day

National Family Mediation, an Exeter based family mediation provider, is preparing for an annual surge in enquiries from couples in conflict looking to discuss child arrangements over the Mother’s Day weekend, and ahead of the Easter Holidays.

Every March families across the country come together in celebration of all of the mums and mother figures for all of their hard work throughout the year, and to show their appreciation.

But according to National Family Mediation (NFM), for those who are...

Keeping your child safe on a school trip: Whats every parent should know

Authored by Val Watson
Posted: Wed, 03/15/2023 - 10:21am

As a parent, you want to do everything you can to keep your child safe. But what do you need to know when they're going on a school trip? We've got some tips to help you out.

Why school trips are so important for your child

School trips are an important part of a child's education, offering invaluable opportunities for learning, growth, and development. During a school trip, children can gain new experiences and knowledge that can’t be replicated in the classroom environment. They can learn about different places and people and explore new cultures and environments.

...

Register your child for free activities and hot meals this Easter

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 03/09/2023 - 11:28pm

Children and young people, eligible for benefit-related free school meals, have the chance to take part in four days of exciting activities over the Easter Holidays.

Once again parents and guardians have the chance to apply for their child to take part in Devon County Council's (DCC) government-funded Holiday Activities and Food programme.

The programme, for eligible five to 16-year-olds, provides free activities and healthy meals during school holidays.

This year DCC has teamed up with more than 50 activity providers across Devon to offer a very wide range of...

Charity calls for families with young disabled adults to seek support

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 02/28/2023 - 5:56pm

Families caring for young disabled adults at home are being offered help by a forward-thinking national charity to improve quality of life.

Faced with three times higher costs to bring up disabled children, the continuing cost-of-living crisis is placing families in financial jeopardy. It is therefore even harder to afford the things that improve their disabled young adult’s day-to-day living.

National charity Family Fund is now urging families with a disabled 18-24 year-old living at home to apply for wide-ranging grants through its Your Opportunity scheme.

Set...

Warring couples urged to embrace mediation to help resolve conflict over pets

Call to action comes as nation celebrates Love Your Pet Day

A national charity has urged couples in conflict to embrace mediation to discuss what will happen to their pets following a divorce or separation in a bid to avoid costly court battles over matters relating to custody, contact and vets’ bills.

The call to action comes ahead of National Love Your Pet Day (20th of February), during which families across the country shower their furry or feathered friends or their beloved amphibians with love and devotion - whether they are cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, frogs, snakes...

Mother and daughter touching donkey

Spring into the new season at The Donkey Sanctuary

With spring just around the corner, The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth is the perfect day out for all the family this half term.

The sanctuary is free to visit and is set in the heart of the East Devon countryside, overlooking the world-famous Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

For those looking to combine exercise and brainpower the ‘Stories of Sanctuary Spirit’ trail is a great place to start.

By following clues from their trail sheet, people will be able to uncover each spirit word and its matching donkey in the poems located around the sanctuary. Trail sheets...

Boost your childcare budget this half term

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Thu, 02/02/2023 - 11:54pm

As the February half term draws closer, families are being reminded that they can save up to £2,000 a year on childcare costs with Tax-Free Childcare.  

More than 37,600 families in the South West used the scheme in September 2022 and benefitted from the government paying towards childcare costs. 

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is encouraging families to find out more about Tax-Free Childcare and check their eligibility via Childcare Choices .

Tax-Free Childcare can help working families pay for any approved childcare for children aged 11 or under, or, 16 if the...

Separating parents urged to avoid courtroom conflict as Family Mediation Week kicks off

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 01/16/2023 - 11:23pm
Charity National Family Mediation offers advice to over 50 Exeter families in conflict

Parents living in Exeter who have decided to separate or divorce in 2023 are being urged to find out how to avoid courtroom confrontation to settle money and parenting arrangements, with the launch of Family Mediation Week, 16 – 20 January.

January usually sees a dramatic rise in the number of parents deciding to live apart, or to start the separation or divorce process, as the various pressures that go hand-in-hand with the Christmas period act as a final straw for relationships.

Jane...

There’s always time for a cuppa with Exeter, Mid & East Devon Samaritans 

The local branch of Samaritans is encouraging people across Exeter and East Devon to reach out to someone they care about for a cuppa and a catch up for Brew Monday - that’s January 16, the third Monday of January.

Volunteers from the branch will be out in force, with tea bags and cups, at six stations in the area: Exeter St David’s, Exeter Central, Exmouth, Dawlish, Tiverton Parkway and Okehampton.

The third Monday in January is sometimes referred to as ‘the most difficult day of the year’ but the charity is highlighting that many people have year-round issues...

Mediation charity braces itself for new year separation and divorce spike

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 12/26/2022 - 10:25pm

Family dispute specialists who are part of the country’s largest network of family mediators are preparing for what could be their busiest time of the year, as couples across the region make it their new year resolution to end their relationships after a stressful holiday period.

Staff at National Family Mediation (NFM), which helps families to sort arrangements for children, property, finance and other important matters,say in their experience Christmas often proves the final straw for relationships that have been fragile for some time.

The charity says this year is...

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